Queensland army helicopter crash: MRH-90 Taipan wreckage pulled from water after military chopper plunged into ocean off Hamilton Island in the Whitsundays during Talisman Sabre

Footage has captured the moment debris was pulled from the water after an army helicopter crashed with the search continuing for four missing aircrew onboard. 

The MRH-90 Taipan crashed into the ocean off Lindeman Island, near Hamilton Island in north Queensland, at about 10.30pm on Friday.

The wreckage of the Taipan was discovered south of Hamilton Island, near Dent Island, but no survivors have been found.

The crew were participating in Exercise Talisman Sabre – joint military training between Australia, the US and 11 other ally countries. 

The son of a distinguished NSW Police officer is among the four people who remain missing. 

Specialist divers are joining other rescue personnel on Sunday as the desperate search for the four missing air crew on board continues.

Parts of the fuselage were among the dozens of pieces of debris that were pulled from the water and loaded onto a barge before they were transported back to land. 

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the crash was a ‘stark reminder’ there were no ‘easy or safe’ days for Australians serving their country. 

Hopes are fading for those onboard the MRH90 Taipan that went into waters near Queensland’s Hamilton Island after debris (pictured) from it was found

Part of the MRH90 Taipan that crashed on Friday night is pictured on a boat on Saturday night

‘Today every Australian is thinking of the four families of the missing aircrew,’ he said.

‘On behalf of our nation, our thoughts and prayers are with the families, friends and colleagues of those who are missing.

‘Our thoughts are also with those that they serve alongside – friends, brothers and sisters in uniform who even now are aiding in the search effort. I’d also like to thank the support from other nations during this search effort’.

The crew are all reportedly from Sydney and based at the Holsworthy Barracks.

‘Sadly at this stage those personnel have yet to be found,’ Brigadier Damian Hill said.

‘It is the defence’s priority to look after those families, their members, their teammates and those that know them,’ said Mr Hill, who is the director of the Talisman Sabre exercise.

‘Our thoughts, and mine in particular, are with the missing servicemen, their teammates and their families, and especially the search and rescue teams.’

NSW premier Chris Minns added: ‘I can only imagine what they’re going through today. It’s just devastating.’ 

Two MRH-90 Taipans were flying in formation at about 11pm on Friday and when the crew of one realised something had gone wrong with the other, they immediately started a search operation.

The disaster happened during the Talisman Sabre military exercises, which includes more than 30,000 personnel, including from the US and several other countries.

The next of kin and the family of the four missing crew members were informed as soon as the search got underway.

Governor-General David Hurley said he had spent time with some of the army members on the exercise after the crash.

‘The impact of this terrible incident is being felt keenly. Each of the four missing ADF personnel made the decision to serve their nation – to serve us,’ he said.

‘We must never lose sight of, nor cease to be grateful for, the service and sacrifice of those in uniform … ‘Those that serve, their families and, especially, the loved ones of the four missing personnel are in our hearts.’

The Chief of Defence Angus Campbell spoke to reporters and offered his support to the families.

An MRH-90 Taipan carrying four people crashed in the Whitsundays on Friday night following 13 years of difficulties with the aircraft (pictured, an MRH-90 Taipan)

‘Defence exercises, which are so necessary for the readiness of our defence force, are serious. They carry risk,’ he said.

‘And as we desperately hope for better news during the course of this day, we are reminded about the gravity of the act which comes with wearing our nation’s uniform. This is indeed a terrible moment.’

The MRH-90 Taipan has a worrying history in Australia, with the crash on Friday far from being the helicopter’s first major incident.

Since the Howard Government bought the fleet of 47 helicopters in 2004 and 2006, they have been grounded several times and involved in multiple crashes. 

The most recent crash happened just four months ago during a night-time counter-terrorism training exercise on March 22.

The Taipan had ditched off the coast of Jervis Bay, on NSW’s Central Coast, at about 9pm after suffering engine failure – reportedly due to old software.

Australia’s Taipan fleet was grounded following the incident but was brought back into operation a little over a month later.

A Defence spokesperson at the time confirmed the helicopters would resume normal flying but with unspecified ‘risk mitigations’.

‘Defence has lifted the operational pause on MRH-90 Taipan flying operations,’ they told the ABC in April.

‘The MRH-90 Taipan fleet returned to normal operations on 6 April 2023, with risk mitigations in place (that) will have minimal impact on planned flying operations.’ 

The Taipan was ditched near the coast of Hamilton Island, north Queensland (above), at about 11pm on Friday night – no survivors have been found

Several industry insiders have blamed the ADF for not knowing how to maintain or operate the European-designed Taipans, rather than the helicopters themselves.

Chief of Army Lieutenant-General Simon Stuart last year told Senate the Taipans cost an astonishing $48,000 every flying hour. 

The first sign of trouble with the Taipans emerged just four years after Australia completed its fleet.

In 2010 a Taipan’s engine failed mid-flight near the Adelaide RAAF Edinburgh air base.

Incredibly, the crew was able to land the helicopter back at the base with just one engine but the incident resulted in the entire Taipan fleet being grounded. 

In 2014 the Australian National Audit Office revealed in a damning report the Taipan’s design and support system was ‘immature’ and had caused ‘significant issues’ to the ADF fleet.

It also slammed the high operational cost of the helicopters. 

The Taipan fleet was grounded again in 2019 after encountering rotor blade issues and a third time in 2020 after crews encountered problems with sliding cabin doors.  

Australia’s Taipan fleet has been grounded five times since 2010 and involved in several major incidents (pictured, an MRH-90 Taipan)

That year half the fleet was shuttered.

In 2021 the Morrison Government began Australia’s move away from the Taipan fleet by agreeing to buy US-made Black Hawks.

The move was part of the AUKUS pact between Australia, the UK and the US announced that year.

The deal will see the three governments working more closely together on a range of defence matters, including production and procurement. 

The Albanese Government followed through on the deal following the 2022 election and agreed to pay $2.8billion for 40 Black Hawks. 

The Black Hawks, whose use in the US Military has been long standing, are manufactured by a branch of US weapons giant Lockheed Martin.

The purchase will bring an early end to the Taipan program which, prior to the 2022 Black Hawk deal, was due to end in 2037.

It is unclear whether the 47-strong Taipan fleet will again be grounded following Friday’s crash.

A Taipan carrying four people ditched into the ocean off Lindeman Island at about 11pm on Friday during joint military training Exercise Talisman Sabre (pictured, a crewman with a Taipan in Townsville for Exercise Talisman Sabre on Thursday)

Saturday’s retrieval operation has been focussed in the middle of the Whitsundays passage between North and South Molle Islands, the Courier Mail reports.

Helicopters were seen carrying large pieces of debris from the site.

Navy fast boats and other vessels, including a boat with a large crane, are also involved in the search.

It’s understood the debris is being held on the warship, Brisbane.  

Defence Minister Richard Marles addressed reporters on Saturday morning and confirmed families had been notified of the incident.

‘We meet with a heavy heart,’ Mr Marles said.

‘Our hopes and our thoughts are with air crew and their families, with thoughts of the search and rescue crews as they go about their work right now.

‘These are early days and much more information is to be provided about this incident.

‘Defence exercises, which are so necessary for the readiness of our defence force, they carry risk.

‘As we hope for better news during the course of this day, we are aware of the gravity of the act that comes with wearing the uniform.’

Saturday’s retrieval operation has been focussed in the middle of the Whitsundays passage  (pictured, the flight path of one of the vehicles searching for the four missing people)

This year’s Exercise Talisman Sabre is the 10th in the bilateral training activity between Australia and the US.

It was the largest ever, with more than 30,000 military personnel participating from 13 nations including Fiji, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, France, United Kingdom, Canada and Germany.

The 14-day exercise, running until August 4, tests large scale logistics, multi-domain firepower demonstrations, land combat, amphibious landings and air operations. 

Exercise Talisman Sabre has been paused in light of the accident.