RAN Sea King crash Indonesia
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RAN Sea King crash Indonesia
7 news reports a RAN Sea King operating from HMAS Kinimbla has crashed during earthquake relief operations with unconfirmed (REPEAT - UNCONFIRMED) reports of 6 killed.
Tragic news.
Tragic news.
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just read the same thing,
An Australian Navy helicopter carrying 11 personnel has crashed in Indonesia, the Department of Defence said tonight.
In a statement, Defence said the Navy Sea King helicopter crashed near Gunung Sitoli on Nias Island, off the west coast of Sumatra, about 7.30pm (AEST) today.
The helicopter, from HMAS Kanimbla, was conducting a sortie in a support of the second phase of Operation Sumatra Assist, the Australian Defence Force's contribution to the earthquake relief effort.
Up to 11 people, including the helicopter's crew of three, were on board, the department said.
HMAS Kanimbla was steaming towards the vicinity of the crash site.
A Defence spokesman said it was not known whether anyone on board the chopper was killed.
The department was endeavouring to find out details of the crash.
"What we're hoping to do is get updates as soon as we can get the appropriate information," the spokesman said.
Radio 2UE quoted Indonesian authorities as reporting a helicopter crash that has claimed six lives.
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It quoted unconfirmed reports that the helicopter was carrying medical evacuees and had a crew of three when it crashed.
Lets all prey everyone made it out alive!
An Australian Navy helicopter carrying 11 personnel has crashed in Indonesia, the Department of Defence said tonight.
In a statement, Defence said the Navy Sea King helicopter crashed near Gunung Sitoli on Nias Island, off the west coast of Sumatra, about 7.30pm (AEST) today.
The helicopter, from HMAS Kanimbla, was conducting a sortie in a support of the second phase of Operation Sumatra Assist, the Australian Defence Force's contribution to the earthquake relief effort.
Up to 11 people, including the helicopter's crew of three, were on board, the department said.
HMAS Kanimbla was steaming towards the vicinity of the crash site.
A Defence spokesman said it was not known whether anyone on board the chopper was killed.
The department was endeavouring to find out details of the crash.
"What we're hoping to do is get updates as soon as we can get the appropriate information," the spokesman said.
Radio 2UE quoted Indonesian authorities as reporting a helicopter crash that has claimed six lives.
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It quoted unconfirmed reports that the helicopter was carrying medical evacuees and had a crew of three when it crashed.
Lets all prey everyone made it out alive!
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geez as if a tsunami and heaps of earthquakes weren't enough...
these guys just go to help out, and this happens....
prayers and best wishes for all to make it out safe, so they can continue doing their very commendable work...
Sky
these guys just go to help out, and this happens....
prayers and best wishes for all to make it out safe, so they can continue doing their very commendable work...
Sky
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AAP
Nine Australians killed in chopper crash
Date: 02/04/05
Tragedy has struck Australia's relief effort on Nias, with a Navy helicopter crashing, killing nine personnel on board.
The chopper crashed Saturday afternoon while on approach to Amandraya village on the remote west coast of Nias.
The Sea King helicopter had been ferrying an emergency medical team from the Kanimbla to the village as part of relief efforts to outlying areas of Nias following a devastating earthquake on Monday.
The helicopter crashed on approach to land, Kanimbla captain Commander George McGuire told journalists who had been on board the Kanimbla for a media tour.
He said two on board the helicopter survived and were airlifted to the Kanimbla for emergency surgery by the ship's second helicopter, which landed with a medical team after seeing smoke from the crash site.
"They are in a serious condition with leg fractures and other injuries," Cmdr McGuire said.
"We believe the rest of the personnel died."
On board the chopper were five naval personnel as well as three from the Air Force and one member of the Army.
Seven of the dead were male and two were female.
Copyright © 2005 AAP
============================================
Update
The Kanimbla immediately scrambled its second helicopter to inspect the crash zone for a second time after Indonesian military authorities in the area suggested the other nine passengers on board may have survived. But an hour later the 300 ship crew members were informed that all nine had been killed, their bodies found in the wreckage by a team of paramedics and rescue personnel.
Cmdr McGuire immediately dispatched the Kanimbla to the rescue site and tonight it was steaming around the southern tip of Nias to take up station near a river leading to the village where the chopper crashed.
"That location is a very remote location," he said, adding that the trip would take about six hours to steam to the site where the chopper, callsign "Shark 02", went down.
Shattered staff on the Kanimbla cried and bowed their heads in shock in the ship's mess room when Cmdr McGuire broke the news that no other survivors had been found.
In the ship's cavernous hold, which had been converted into an emergency hospital ward, about 20 military doctors were caring for the two wounded crew members, conducting on-the-spot X-rays in preparation for surgery.
==========================================
Nine Australians killed in chopper crash
Date: 02/04/05
Tragedy has struck Australia's relief effort on Nias, with a Navy helicopter crashing, killing nine personnel on board.
The chopper crashed Saturday afternoon while on approach to Amandraya village on the remote west coast of Nias.
The Sea King helicopter had been ferrying an emergency medical team from the Kanimbla to the village as part of relief efforts to outlying areas of Nias following a devastating earthquake on Monday.
The helicopter crashed on approach to land, Kanimbla captain Commander George McGuire told journalists who had been on board the Kanimbla for a media tour.
He said two on board the helicopter survived and were airlifted to the Kanimbla for emergency surgery by the ship's second helicopter, which landed with a medical team after seeing smoke from the crash site.
"They are in a serious condition with leg fractures and other injuries," Cmdr McGuire said.
"We believe the rest of the personnel died."
On board the chopper were five naval personnel as well as three from the Air Force and one member of the Army.
Seven of the dead were male and two were female.
Copyright © 2005 AAP
============================================
Update
The Kanimbla immediately scrambled its second helicopter to inspect the crash zone for a second time after Indonesian military authorities in the area suggested the other nine passengers on board may have survived. But an hour later the 300 ship crew members were informed that all nine had been killed, their bodies found in the wreckage by a team of paramedics and rescue personnel.
Cmdr McGuire immediately dispatched the Kanimbla to the rescue site and tonight it was steaming around the southern tip of Nias to take up station near a river leading to the village where the chopper crashed.
"That location is a very remote location," he said, adding that the trip would take about six hours to steam to the site where the chopper, callsign "Shark 02", went down.
Shattered staff on the Kanimbla cried and bowed their heads in shock in the ship's mess room when Cmdr McGuire broke the news that no other survivors had been found.
In the ship's cavernous hold, which had been converted into an emergency hospital ward, about 20 military doctors were caring for the two wounded crew members, conducting on-the-spot X-rays in preparation for surgery.
==========================================
Last edited by Wirraway; 2nd Apr 2005 at 12:34.
Evertonian
The loss of life in a natural disaster is always a tragedy, but when people put themselves in harms way to help strangers and pay the ultimate price, then I can't help but feel a deeper sense of loss.
My heart goes out to the families and my gratitude that the dedication to duty of our armed forces personnel is upheld to the highest degree.
My heart goes out to the families and my gratitude that the dedication to duty of our armed forces personnel is upheld to the highest degree.
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This is the aircraft and squadron I cut my naval aviation teeth on. This will be deeply felt by the Fleet Air Arm, the RAN Air Station, the Navy, and Nowra...all small and close communities. These guys, all the servicemen were doing what comes best...putting themselves in harms' way to save others.
I'm on Seahawks now but I still feel this one very deeply.
I'm on Seahawks now but I still feel this one very deeply.
Stormy
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Sad confirmation
Last Update: Sunday, April 3, 2005. 4:44am (AEST)
The Department of Defence has confirmed that nine Australian Defence Force personnel are missing, presumed dead, after a helicopter crash on the Indonesian island of Nias.
An Australian navy Sea King helicopter from HMAS Kanimbla crashed on approach to a village in the south of the earthquake-stricken island yesterday at about 7:30pm (AEST).
"Two Australian Defence Force personnel have been recovered from the crash site of the Navy Sea King, however another nine ADF personnel on board the crashed helicopter are missing presumed dead," a statement said.
The incident was the deadliest involving the Australian military since 18 servicemen died when two Black Hawk helicopters collided during a training exercise in Queensland state in June 1996.
The Australian Associated Press (AAP) earlier quoted Commander George McGuire, the captain of the Kanimbla, saying that nine of the 11 people on board the helicopter died when it crashed on an approach to the island's remote west coast.
Commander McGuire said two on board the helicopter survived and were airlifted back to the Kanimbla for emergency surgery by the ship's second helicopter, which landed with a medical team after seeing smoke from the crash site.
"They are in a serious condition with leg fractures and other injuries," Commander McGuire was quoted as saying by an AAP reporter on board the Kanimbla.
"We believe the rest of the personnel died," he said, adding they included seven men and two women.
The Kanimbla was heading towards the area to try to reach the downed aircraft, the Australian defence spokesman said.
An Indonesian army helicopter was dispatched to the crash site, said Binahati Baeha, the senior government official in the Nias port of Gunung Sitoli.
Indonesian air force spokesman, First Marshal Sagom Tambun, said residents in the Amandraya region in the far south of the island reported seeing the crash.
"The witnesses said that the Sea King helicopter was attempting to conduct an emergency landing in Amandraya subdistrict but it did not go smoothly," he said.
Commander McGuire earlier told reporters that two helicopters had been sent to Teluk Dalam after a powerful aftershock struck the quake-battered region on Saturday.
There "were a large number of casualties" in the town but it was unclear if they were from the aftershock or Monday's larger quake, he said.
The helicopters would "make an initial assessment and subsequent to that we will be evacuating patients to our operating team or onto the Singaporean field hospital at the landing zone," he said.
Indonesian officials said there was no information on injuries or damage in the aftershock, which measured 5.8 on the Richter scale.
The UN estimated Monday's quake killed 1,300 people, most of them on Nias.
The Department of Defence has confirmed that nine Australian Defence Force personnel are missing, presumed dead, after a helicopter crash on the Indonesian island of Nias.
An Australian navy Sea King helicopter from HMAS Kanimbla crashed on approach to a village in the south of the earthquake-stricken island yesterday at about 7:30pm (AEST).
"Two Australian Defence Force personnel have been recovered from the crash site of the Navy Sea King, however another nine ADF personnel on board the crashed helicopter are missing presumed dead," a statement said.
The incident was the deadliest involving the Australian military since 18 servicemen died when two Black Hawk helicopters collided during a training exercise in Queensland state in June 1996.
The Australian Associated Press (AAP) earlier quoted Commander George McGuire, the captain of the Kanimbla, saying that nine of the 11 people on board the helicopter died when it crashed on an approach to the island's remote west coast.
Commander McGuire said two on board the helicopter survived and were airlifted back to the Kanimbla for emergency surgery by the ship's second helicopter, which landed with a medical team after seeing smoke from the crash site.
"They are in a serious condition with leg fractures and other injuries," Commander McGuire was quoted as saying by an AAP reporter on board the Kanimbla.
"We believe the rest of the personnel died," he said, adding they included seven men and two women.
The Kanimbla was heading towards the area to try to reach the downed aircraft, the Australian defence spokesman said.
An Indonesian army helicopter was dispatched to the crash site, said Binahati Baeha, the senior government official in the Nias port of Gunung Sitoli.
Indonesian air force spokesman, First Marshal Sagom Tambun, said residents in the Amandraya region in the far south of the island reported seeing the crash.
"The witnesses said that the Sea King helicopter was attempting to conduct an emergency landing in Amandraya subdistrict but it did not go smoothly," he said.
Commander McGuire earlier told reporters that two helicopters had been sent to Teluk Dalam after a powerful aftershock struck the quake-battered region on Saturday.
There "were a large number of casualties" in the town but it was unclear if they were from the aftershock or Monday's larger quake, he said.
The helicopters would "make an initial assessment and subsequent to that we will be evacuating patients to our operating team or onto the Singaporean field hospital at the landing zone," he said.
Indonesian officials said there was no information on injuries or damage in the aftershock, which measured 5.8 on the Richter scale.
The UN estimated Monday's quake killed 1,300 people, most of them on Nias.
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An incredably sad day for Australia....
We all too often hear little about the wonderful job our Service personnel do in support of other nations in distress on a reasonably regular basis......personnel onboard Kanimbla were effectively on their way home from helping out in one disaster when they were diverted to assist in yet another disaster relief project; this time with tragic consequences.
My sincerest condolences to everyone involved in these difficult and trying times, particularly the families, shipmates and squadron personnel. Our thoughts are with you all.
My sincerest condolences to everyone involved in these difficult and trying times, particularly the families, shipmates and squadron personnel. Our thoughts are with you all.
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This is absolutely tragic.
My thoughts are with the families who have felt proud at their loved one's recent achievements, relief at the thought of them returning home, and now the grief of losing one, so close but so far away.
So terribly terribly sad. A huge loss for all, and my thoughts too are with the surviving and remaining crew onboard.
Rest in peace, knowing you've helped make the world a better place.
My thoughts are with the families who have felt proud at their loved one's recent achievements, relief at the thought of them returning home, and now the grief of losing one, so close but so far away.
So terribly terribly sad. A huge loss for all, and my thoughts too are with the surviving and remaining crew onboard.
Rest in peace, knowing you've helped make the world a better place.
Stormy
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Defence Force Chief Peter Cosgrove today confirmed that nine Australian military personnel, comprising six from the navy and three from the air force, had died in the Kanimbla helicopter crash.
Lieutenant General Cosgrove also confirmed at a press conference the dead were seven men and two women.
Four were air crew and the rest were medical relief specialists, he said.
He said early media reports of an army person being among the casualty list were incorrect.
Kanimbla's captain, Commander George McGuire, said two male personnel survived the crash and were undergoing surgery on board the Kanimbla after sustaining serious injuries.
Lieutenant General Cosgrove also confirmed at a press conference the dead were seven men and two women.
Four were air crew and the rest were medical relief specialists, he said.
He said early media reports of an army person being among the casualty list were incorrect.
Kanimbla's captain, Commander George McGuire, said two male personnel survived the crash and were undergoing surgery on board the Kanimbla after sustaining serious injuries.
Stormy
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Chopper suffered engine failure: witnesses
By Indonesia correspondent Tim Palmer and staff
An investigation is underway into the cause of the helicopter crash that claimed the lives of nine Australian Defence Force personnel on the Indonesian island of Nias.
Witnesses say the helicopter's engine died while it was 30 or 40 metres above the ground before it crashed cockpit first into a football field.
The inquiry is expected to examine whether over-work and stress contributed to the crash.
HMAS Kanimbla, on which the helicopter was based, will continue to help with relief efforts for the victims of the Indonesian earthquake.
Two men survived the accident and are being treated for fractures on HMAS Kanimbla, which is off the island of Nias.
Chief of the Defence Force, General Peter Cosgrove, says efforts are being made to bring home the bodies of the dead.
"This, we believe, will not be possible before Tuesday at the earliest," he said.
The Indonesian President, who will start a visit to Australia today, has offered to provide any assistance necessary to help that process.
Crash witnesses
Villagers told the ABC they began signalling for help to the Australian helicopter as it flew overhead.
It then circled their village twice and then made a low approach towards the football field.
They say that around 30 or 40 metres before it was over the football field they heard the engine die and the helicopter crashed cockpit first into the field.
Residents of the village rushed to the wreckage to attempt to rescue those on board but they say it caught on fire within five or 10 minutes of the crash.
The blackened wreckage, now no more than 1.5 metres high, is strewn across the football field with the cockpit nose cone thrown some 20 metres free.
The crash is the deadliest military accident since 18 servicemen died in the crash of two Black Hawk helicopters in 1996.
Gen Cosgrove says no arrangements have yet been made to provide another Sea King helicopter and crew for the ship.
By Indonesia correspondent Tim Palmer and staff
An investigation is underway into the cause of the helicopter crash that claimed the lives of nine Australian Defence Force personnel on the Indonesian island of Nias.
Witnesses say the helicopter's engine died while it was 30 or 40 metres above the ground before it crashed cockpit first into a football field.
The inquiry is expected to examine whether over-work and stress contributed to the crash.
HMAS Kanimbla, on which the helicopter was based, will continue to help with relief efforts for the victims of the Indonesian earthquake.
Two men survived the accident and are being treated for fractures on HMAS Kanimbla, which is off the island of Nias.
Chief of the Defence Force, General Peter Cosgrove, says efforts are being made to bring home the bodies of the dead.
"This, we believe, will not be possible before Tuesday at the earliest," he said.
The Indonesian President, who will start a visit to Australia today, has offered to provide any assistance necessary to help that process.
Crash witnesses
Villagers told the ABC they began signalling for help to the Australian helicopter as it flew overhead.
It then circled their village twice and then made a low approach towards the football field.
They say that around 30 or 40 metres before it was over the football field they heard the engine die and the helicopter crashed cockpit first into the field.
Residents of the village rushed to the wreckage to attempt to rescue those on board but they say it caught on fire within five or 10 minutes of the crash.
The blackened wreckage, now no more than 1.5 metres high, is strewn across the football field with the cockpit nose cone thrown some 20 metres free.
The crash is the deadliest military accident since 18 servicemen died in the crash of two Black Hawk helicopters in 1996.
Gen Cosgrove says no arrangements have yet been made to provide another Sea King helicopter and crew for the ship.
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Dead named...
Navy
* Lieutenant Mathew Davey from the ACT.
* Lieutenant Matthew Goodall from NSW.
* Lieutenant Paul Kimlin from the ACT.
* Lieutenant Jonathan King from Queensland.
* Petty Officer Stephen Slattery from NSW.
* Leading Seaman Scott Bennett from NSW.
Air Force
* Squadron Leader Paul McCarthy from West Australia.
* Flight Lieutenant Lyn Rowbottom from Queensland.
* Sergeant Wendy Jones from Queensland.
My deepest condolences to all who knew them....
* Lieutenant Mathew Davey from the ACT.
* Lieutenant Matthew Goodall from NSW.
* Lieutenant Paul Kimlin from the ACT.
* Lieutenant Jonathan King from Queensland.
* Petty Officer Stephen Slattery from NSW.
* Leading Seaman Scott Bennett from NSW.
Air Force
* Squadron Leader Paul McCarthy from West Australia.
* Flight Lieutenant Lyn Rowbottom from Queensland.
* Sergeant Wendy Jones from Queensland.
My deepest condolences to all who knew them....
The names of those killed can be found here
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2005/...489339333.html
RIP
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2005/...489339333.html
RIP
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Selamat jalan to the nine that passed, and we can but thank them for doing our work for us.
This is a tragedy of the first order.
I hope the Government does what they can for the families, not that it will ever be enough.
EWL
This is a tragedy of the first order.
I hope the Government does what they can for the families, not that it will ever be enough.
EWL