An Australian soldier has died during a military training exercise in the Northern Territory. Five other soldiers were injured in the same incident. The crash happened on Monday afternoon at the Mount Bundey training area. The site is around 130 km southeast of Darwin and is regularly used by the Australian Army for military exercises, including live-fire training. According to police, a military vehicle overturned during the exercise. One soldier died at the scene. The five injured soldiers were taken to hospitals in Darwin for treatment.
The Australian Department of Defence confirmed the incident on Tuesday. However, it did not release further information about what happened. The department also asked the public to respect the privacy of the soldiers and their families. Northern Territory Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro offered her condolences to the family of the soldier who died. She also expressed her support for the injured soldiers and other defence personnel affected by the incident.
Helicopters transported two injured soldiers to Royal Darwin Hospital. According to reports from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, a plane transported three others on Monday evening. Northern Territory Police Commissioner Martin Dole said police were also assisting with the investigation. Officers were sent to the training area following the crash.
Police have not yet confirmed what caused the vehicle to overturn. The investigation is being carried out with the involvement of the coroner. The incident has also renewed attention to the safety of military training at Mount Bundey.
The same training area was involved in the death of Australian soldier Jason Challis in 2017. Challis was 25 and had less than one year of military experience at the time.
He was shot during an urban combat training exercise. He was standing behind a plywood wall when he was hit in the head and knee.
A 2019 inquest found that the training exercise had serious problems. The coroner described it as “shambolic” and said Challis’ death could have been prevented. Monday’s crash is the second reported death of an Australian soldier during training this year.
In May, Special Air Service Regiment soldier Lachlan Muddle died after colliding with another parachutist during a training jump. The incident happened at Jervis Bay in New South Wales.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also expressed his condolences. He expressed his thoughts for the families and friends affected by the latest incident. The investigation into Monday’s crash is continuing. Authorities are expected to examine what happened and whether any safety issues contributed to the soldier’s death.
