David Fawcett (Wakefield, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Minister for Defence. Would the minister update the House with some further details of the accident of the Black Hawk helicopter that occurred yesterday near Fiji?

Brendan Nelson (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Wakefield, himself a former Black Hawk helicopter pilot, for his question. We are advised that at approximately 10 past three Australian Eastern Standard Time yesterday an Army Black Hawk helicopter crashed whilst attempting to land on HMAS Kanimbla and was lost into the sea. At the time of the crash, the helicopter was conducting a routine training flight approximately 150 nautical miles west-south-west of Suva, Fiji. There were 10 Army personnel onboard, including two pilots, two loadmasters and six members of the special armed services.

Nine of these people were recovered. One of the people recovered later died as a result of injuries, while being treated by specialist medical staff on board HMAS Kanimbla. One person remains missing. The search has included multiple rigid-hold inflatable boats and HMAS Newcastle’s Seahawk helicopter with infra-red sensors to aid detection at night. An RAAF AP-3C maritime patrol aircraft will join the search effort today and we will continue to search until all avenues have been exhausted.

The deceased and seven of those involved in the accident have been transferred to HMAS Newcastle and will be moved to Noumea, from where they will be repatriated to Australia via an RAAF C130 Hercules, which will return to Australia late tomorrow. One of the people involved in the accident will remain on board Kanimbla and has returned to duty.

The cause of the accident remains unknown. Defence has commenced an investigation which includes the deployment of a specialist accident investigation team to embark in HMAS Newcastle upon its arrival in Noumea. The names of the deceased pilot and the missing SAS trooper have not been released by the Chief of the Defence Force at this stage at the specific request of the families. I ask the media to respect the wishes of those families.

It is important to remember why our defence personnel were there. They were doing what they always do on our behalf. They were there to support and protect Australians, should Australians require that protection and assistance over the next few days or weeks, should there be upheaval in Fiji. The operation will continue. The men and women on Kanimbla and on Newcastle will remain at their posts. It is extremely important that our naval vessels and our defence men and women remain on standby should Australians require it. That is what they were doing and that is what they will continue to do, as they have always done in the finest traditions of the Australian Defence Force.