Australian army chief reveals names of helicopter crash victims

Chief of the Australian army released Sunday the identities of the four victims who are believed to have died after a helicopter of the Australian Defence Force — participating in a military exercise with the US — crashed in the ocean off Queensland Friday.

The helicopter MRH-90 was participating in biennial Talisman Sabre military drills when it hit the water close to Hamilton Island, about 890km (550 miles) north of the state capital Brisbane.

While speaking with the media in the capital city of Sydney, Lieutenant General Simon Stuart named the missing soldiers as Captain Daniel Lyon, Lieutenant Maxwell Nugent, Warrant Officer Class Two Joseph Laycock and Corporal Alexander Naggs.

All four were members of the Australian Army's 6th Aviation regiment, based in Sydney.

"Let's be focused on bringing them home," Stuart said, adding that the search for the "four young men continued."

“The army would not fly MRH-90 helicopters until it considered it was safe to do so,” he said.

Defence Minister Richard Marles told reporters in Townsville, Queensland, a full investigation would take place into the crash.

Defence Minister Marles said Saturday that a search and rescue mission was immediately launched and four aircrew are yet to be found.

He said that the MRH-90 Taipan helicopter crashed near the island, in the Whitsundays, at about 22:30 local time (12:30 GMT).

"Our hopes and thoughts are very much with the aircrew and their families," he said, adding that "we desperately hope for better news during the course of the day".

"These are early days and there will be much more information to be provided about this incident," he said.

Chief of the Defence Force Angus Campbell said it was "a terrible moment. Our focus at the moment is on finding our people and supporting their families and the rest of our team."

The incident comes as there was an annual Australia-US Ministerial (AUSMIN) dialogue between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and their Australian counterparts in Queensland state that was set to take place this weekend.

"My thoughts are with the four Australians who were involved in the helicopter crash," Lloyd said in Townsville, addressing troops participating in Talisman Sabre.

The joint military exercises — temporarily paused amid the search for the missing aircrew — have now resumed.

The event comprises two weeks of war games involving more than 30,000 troops and participants from 11 other countries, in a show of force and unity amid China's military build-up in the region.