An Australian soldier has died and five others were injured in a training accident at a facility outside Darwin yesterday, according to the defence department.
The department on Tuesday morning released a statement confirming the incident, which occurred at the Mount Bundey training area, around ۱۰۰km south-east of Darwin in the Northern Territory.
“Defence can confirm an Australian Army soldier has died during a training exercise at the Mount Bundey Training Area on ۵ October ۲۰۲۶,” the statement read.
“Five other Australian Army soldiers were injured.”
The department did not immediately confirm the nature of the incident or the cause of death, saying only: “Defence will provide further updates when possible.”
The NT’s chief minister, Lia Finocchiaro, indicated in a press conference that the incident had occurred on Monday evening.
She said two people were evacuated by helicopter to Darwin around ۷.۳۰pm, with another three taken by plane around ۹.۳۰pm.
“Our sincerest condolences to the family of the young service personnel who lost their life yesterday,” Finocchiaro said.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family who are obviously devastated by this loss and of course the support of our entire community is there for all of our service personnel who will be feeling this loss immensely.”
The department was expected to provide more details later on Tuesday.
The NT’s police commissioner, Martin Dole, said officers had been sent to the facility to “assist defence” in responding.
He also declined to provide further details but said police were “helping to investigate on behalf of the coroner”.
“Next of kin has been notified. We request that the privacy of Defence members and families is respected at this time,” the department said.
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The incident comes following several high-profile training accidents claiming the lives of ADF personnel.
Jack Fitzgibbon, the son of the former Labor defence minister Joel Fitzgibbon, died in ۲۰۲۴ during a parachute incident during a routine training activity in Sydney.
Three separate inquiries were launched after the death of Fitzgibbon: a Comcare inquiry led by the commonwealth’s WHS regulator; a New South Wales coronial inquiry; and an internal defence probe.
Lachlan Muddle, an experienced paratrooper, died in March after a mid-air collision with another trooper during training above a Jervis Bay airfield.
Following Muddle’s death, the defence minister, Richard Marles, said the Australia defence force had been provided with recommendations from investigations into the death of Fitzgibbon.
“In both that incident [۲۰۲۴] and this one, it is vital that investigations are as thorough as humanly possible so that every lesson is learned,” Marles said in March.
Guardian Australia has contacted the defence department for further information about the nature of the incident and injuries. Marles was also contacted.
