 | Fleet Air Arm |
| Fleet Air Arm |
Updated 5 April 2005
The Association has extended its sympathy to all families who have been affected by the loss of life resulting from the crash of a Fleet Air Arm Sea King helicopter while on relief operations in Indonesia.
The Department of Defence has confirmed nine Australian Defence Force personnel are missing, presumed dead, after a Sea King crashed on the Indonesian island of Nias.
The helicopter, from HMAS Kanimbla, crashed on approach to a village in the south of the earthquake-stricken island on April 2.
The Association's National President, David Farthing, has sent the following message to Commodore Geoff Ledger at HMAS Albatross, info Chief of Navy and the Fleet Commander:
"On behalf of all members of the Fleet Air Arm Association, I would like to express our sincere sympathy for the tragic loss of life in the accident in Indonesia.
"As members of the extended Naval family, we share your hurt and grief, but we are consoled by the knowledge that the aircraft and its crew were engaged in a vital humanitarian task.
"We hope that the families, loved-ones and friends of those we lost also find some consolation in the nation-wide acclamation for the devotion to duty and professionalism with which they were carrying out their task."
In separate comments, David said he was personally very concerned by the opportunistic and self-seeking comments of the Defence Association (which, among other things, criticised the age of the Sea Kings).
"I thought their comments about the "age of the aircraft" particularly inappropriate and unhelpful at a time of immediate shock and grief. The comparison between an old car and the Sea King was outrageous.
"My comments on the ABC's AM program this morning, although heavily edited, were an attempt to provide some balance. There will be ample time for comments when we know what happened."
Two Australian Defence Force personnel were recovered from the crash sitebut another nine ADF personnel on board the crashed helicopter were killed, a Defence statement said.
The Australian Associated Press (AAP) earlier quoted Commander George McGuire, the captain of the Kanimbla, as saying that two on board the helicopter survived and were flown back to the Kanimbla by the ship's second helicopter, which landed with a medical team after seeing smoke from the crash site.
"They are in a serious condition with leg fractures and other injuries," Commander McGuire was quoted as saying by an AAP reporter on board the Kanimbla.
A formal military investigation was needed to determine the cause of the crash, but the Prime Minister, Mr Howard, expressing his condolences said it was too early to tell whether a review of other military operations would be necessary in the wake of the accident.
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