Australian Defence Force confirms 'helicopter incident' on Jervis Bay

An army MRH-90 Taipan multi-role helicopter ditched into the water just after 9pm on Wednesday.

Two people have minor injuries from the incident: one has ingested seawater, and the other has a headbump.

Defence has grounded its fleet of Taipans, which have previously had safety concerns raised about "major risks and issues", and launched a safety investigation.

One witness claimed there was an explosion and fire on board seconds before the helicopter ditched.

Michael Underbock was on Greenpatch Beach fishing with mates when he saw the helicopter hovering very close to the water.

"This chopper was just hovering above the water, about 20 or 30 metres above the water, and the engine started dying off a little bit. Then it picked back up again, rose a bit," he told Sunrise.

"There were all sorts of sparks on top of the chopper and then a big flash, a big bang and then a bit of a fire on top of the chopper then it ditched down.

"It was kind of all happening very, very low to the water and it was all over within a moment."

Inaugural Commander of Aviation Command Major General Stephen Jobson said two people had minor injuries. One had a "head bump", while another ingested seawater.

"Aviators of the six Aviation Regiment and personnel of the second commando Regiment were undertaking a routine counter-terrorism training exercise," he said.

"The helicopter was crewed by four aviation personnel with six passengers on board."

In a statement, Defence told the South Coast Register an incident occurred on Wednesday evening.

"Defence can confirm a helicopter incident occurred near Jervis Bay, NSW, on the evening of 22 March 2023," the statement read.

"All Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel on board have been safely recovered from the water.

"At this time Defence's priority is supporting the ADF members involved in the incident and their families."

Paramedics were called to College Road in Jervis Bay Village about 9am, to assess the 10 people for minor injuries.

However, the paramedics were ultimately not required.

Defence has issued an operational pause the MRH 90 Taipan fleet and begun a safety investigation.

The MRH-90 Taipan multi-role helicopters have previously been plagued with safety concerns about "major risks and issues" affecting their reliability and capability, a parliamentary report found in 2020.

In 2021, the Navy's 808 Squadron MRH-90 Taipan helicopters were temporarily grounded due to IT maintenance issues.

General Jobson said there were two processes occurring as a result of the crash.

"Defence flight safety bureau are undertaking an investigation. Secondly, there is an assessment occurring as to how the aircraft will be recovered subsequent to the investigation being completed," he said.

"I would really want to focus today on the incident that has occurred and the fact that we are undertaking a safety investigation.

"It is important that we ensure that we refrain from speculations."

Chief of Army Lieutenant General Simon Stuart said quick responses from ADF personnel and emergency services, and well-drilled teams prevented a potential tragedy.

"We will conduct a thorough investigation into this incident to determine the cause and ensure the platform remains safe to operate," he said.

The incident site is being contained by Australian Federal Police and port services personnel.

Defence Minister Richard Marles says the helicopter will be grounded until an investigation is completed.

"The critical question is why did the engine stop," he told Nine's Today show.

"All the crew are being looked after. Their family were notified again in a very prompt way, so everyone knew that everyone onboard was safe."

The minister praised the skill of the pilot in manoeuvring the chopper to ensure the safety of all on board.

"It is an incredible act on the part of the crew in managing to get the helicopter down in a manner where pretty well everyone's able to walk away," Mr Marles said.

- with AAP

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