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 100km south-east of Darwin in the Northern Territory. Defence minister Richard Marles, who is the acting prime minister, was also contacted.
The department was expected to provide more details later on Tuesday. 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 7.30pm, with another three taken by plane around 9.30pm.
He also declined to provide further details but said police were “helping to investigate on behalf of the coroner”. We request that the privacy of Defence members and families is respected at this time,” the department said. 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 2024 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, Marles said the Australia defence force had been provided with recommendations from investigations into the death of Fitzgibbon. Federal opposition leader Angus Taylor said the Coalition was awaiting further updates from the government “at the appropriate time.” “It’s another tragic reminder that our men and women warfighters put their lives on the line even when they are not on mission,” he said in a statement. We wish them a full and swift recovery, and our thoughts are with their families who will be supporting them through this very challenging time.”
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