Night of death for soldiers
A look back at significant moments in the North’s history
EIGHTEEN serviceman are believed dead after Blackhawk helicopters collided mid-air near Townsville in Australia’s worst military disaster in 32 years.
Eleven other soldiers were taken to Townsville General Hospital with injuries, with two in a critical condition.
The Australian Defence Force has announced an immediate inquiry into the incident.
The helicopters were on a standard night counterterrorist exercise known as Day Rotor at the High Range Training Area, about 80km west of Townsville.
In a press conference outside TGH Third Brigade, commander Brigadier Mike Smith said there were 32 soldiers on board the two aircraft, 17 on one and 15 on the other, including four aircrew in each.
The aircrew were all from Townsville’s 5 Aviation Regiment with the other troops members of Australia’s elite Special Air Service based in Perth.
Brigadier Smith said the helicopters were involved in a realistic night training exercise.
“About 7pm the two helicopters collided about 50m above the ground. They were travelling at between 60 and 90 knots,” he said.
The two Blackhawks hit the ground and burst into flames. It is understood the pilots were wearing night vision goggles.
Brigadier Smith said no soldiers from other units were involved.
He said ground crews at the High Range Training Area were sifting through the debris and would continue to do so tomorrow.
“I would like, on behalf of the army, to extend my deepest sympathies to the relatives of the dead and injured,” he said.
“It is a catastrophe and I don’t believe anything like this accident has happened in Australia before.
“These soldiers were in very dangerous training. They had been doing rehearsals all afternoon.
“The Blackhawks were coming in to land – these were the lead aircraft – when they collided.
“The soldiers were about to do hot rope exercises. These soldiers do this sort of exercise regularly.”
Brigadier Smith praised the staff at Townsville General Hospital and all emergency service crews involved.
Queensland Emergency Services personnel were attending a union meeting at the time of the crash, and eight units of 15 personnel acted immediately, said Queensland Ambulance supervisor Michael Lazell.
“We were very fortunate to have the personnel here ready to go straight away,” he said.
Extra staff were called to the hospital as per a disaster plan, medical superintendent Rob Barnett said.
Brigadier Adrian D’hage said Defence Minister Ian Mclachlan had been informed of the tragedy and had expressed his condolences.
Federal Opposition defence spokesman Arch Bevis said the incident was a terrible tragedy.
“Speaking on behalf of Kim Beazley, our sympathy is with the families,” Mr Bevis said.
In February 1964 Australia’s worst peacetime accident happened when the HMAS Melbourne collided with the destroyer HMAS Voyager off Jervis Bay, NSW, cutting it in two with the loss of 82 lives.
In June 1992 two pilots died when a Blackhawk helicopter went down near the army aviation centre at Oakey in southeast Queensland.
*The Townsville Blackhawk tragedy remains Australia’s worst peacetime military aviation disaster, and it significantly changed Australian Army and SAS training protocols.
The 20th anniversary of the tragedy was commemorated in 2016 with services in Townsville, Sydney and Perth.
Fifteen soldiers of the Perth-based 1 Sqn SASR and three soldiers of the Townsville-based B Sqn 5 Avn Regt lost their lives in the incident.
The tragedy tore at the fabric of Australia’s defence community and is remembered vividly to this day.