Australian Soldier Killed, Five Injured in Training Crash

• One Australian soldier was killed and five others were injured in a vehicle rollover during a training exercise.

• The crash occurred at the Mount Bundey training area, about 130km southeast of Darwin.

• Police are assisting the Defence Department and coroner with an investigation into the incident.

An Australian soldier was killed and five others were injured after a military vehicle rolled over during a training exercise in the Northern Territory.

The incident occurred on Monday afternoon at the Mount Bundey training area, about 130 kilometres southeast of Darwin.

Police said one soldier was pronounced dead at the scene, while five others were transported to hospitals in Darwin. Two were taken by helicopter to Royal Darwin Hospital, while three others were flown to the city.

The Australian Department of Defence confirmed the incident on Tuesday but provided few details, asking that the privacy of the soldiers and their families be respected.

Investigation Underway

Northern Territory Police have sent resources to the Mount Bundey training area to assist with the investigation.

NT Police Commissioner Martin Dole said authorities were helping investigate the incident on behalf of the coroner, but the cause of the crash has not yet been established.

The Mount Bundey site is used by the Australian Army for live-fire and other military training exercises.

NT Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro expressed condolences to the soldier’s family and the wider defence community.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family who are obviously devastated by this loss,” she said, according to the ABC.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also offered his condolences, saying there were “no safe or easy days” for those serving the country.

Training Site Has History of Fatal Accident

The latest incident has drawn attention to the history of the Mount Bundey training area.

In 2017, Australian soldier Jason Challis, 25, was killed during an urban attack training exercise at the same location. He was shot while standing behind a plywood wall during the exercise.

A 2019 coronial inquest described the training exercise as “shambolic” and concluded that Challis’ death could have been prevented.

The Defence Department later pleaded guilty to failing to comply with workplace safety requirements.

Second Military Training Death This Year

Monday’s fatality is also the second reported death of an Australian soldier during training this year.

In May, Lachlan Muddle, a Special Air Service Regiment soldier, died following a mid-air collision with another paratrooper during a training exercise at Jervis Bay airfield in New South Wales.

Authorities have not indicated whether the latest Mount Bundey accident was linked to any previous incidents.

The investigation is continuing, with officials expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the vehicle rollover and determine what led to the soldier’s death and injuries.