Eight U.S. Marines are still hospitalized following a deadly aircraft crash in Australia over the weekend that killed three of their comrades.
Northern Territory Police said in a Monday update that the eight Marines are still recovering but did not say what condition they were in.
Emergency responders will remain at the site of the crash for the next 10 days to carry out an investigation into the cause of the crash.
Northern Territory Incident Controller Matthew Hollamby said responders are now “in the recovery phase and working closely” with police to for a “respectful recovery operation of the three deceased US Marines.”
“Our thoughts are with those affected by the tragedy, and we will do everything in our power to provide answers and closure to the families and loved ones of those involved,” Hollamby said in a statement.
An MV-22B Osprey, a tiltrotor aircraft designed for transportation of troops and equipment, crashed Sunday morning on Australia’s Melville Island. The hybrid aircraft dove into a jungle and burst into flames.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin paid his respects to the victims Sunday. About 150 Marines are currently in Darwin for the exercise as part of a troop rotation.
About 150 Marines are currently in nearby Darwin for the exercise as part of a troop rotation in the Australian city.wrote on XThe crash had injured 20 people, all of whom were taken to the nearby Royal Darwin hospital, with 12 discharged by Monday.
Northern Territory Chief Minister Natasha Fyles would not comment on the condition of the eight remaining Marines during a press briefing Monday.
But Fyles praised responders for getting the 20 patients “from an extremely remote location on an island into our tertiary hospital within a matter of hours.”
The Associated Press contributed.
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