Captain Danniel Lyon, Joseph Laycock, Alex Naggs, Maxwell Nugent.Photo:Australian Government Defence (4)
Australian Government Defence (4)
Human remains were recovered after an Australian army helicopter crashed last week while taking part in an international military exercise, according to officials.
Australia’s Defense Department identified the four soldiers aboard the MRH-90 Taipan helicopter as Captain Danniel Lyon, Warrant Officer Class Two Joseph Laycock, Lieutenant Maxwell Nugent, and Corporal Alexander Naggs, all from the Sixth Aviation Regiment, according to theAssociated Press.
Officials have been focused on the recovery efforts since the helicopter crashed in the Whitsunday Islands off the northeast Australian coast during a nighttime operation on Friday, the AP reported.
Defense Minister Richard Marles said on Monday there was no hope of finding them alive as the search party had discovered debris consistent with a “catastrophic incident,” per theBBC.
Australia’s Department of Defencedid not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
According to the AP, the crashed helicopter was participating in Talisman Sabre, a biennial military exercise. This year’s exercise included over 30,000 military personnel from Australia, the United States and other nations, per the news agency.
“It is important to collect as much of the debris as we can so we can fully understand how this event occurred,” he continued, adding that “positive identification of the remains is unlikely to occur until we recover more of the wreckage.”
Since the crash, the cause of which remains unknown, the entire fleet of Taipans, has been grounded, according to the AP.
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The country’s Defense Department issued a series of statements on Monday and Tuesday on behalf of the soldiers' loved ones.
“Corporal Alexander Naggs will always remain a beloved partner, son, brother and friend,” read astatement from Naggs' partner, who described him as “a hard-working, generous, and kind man who was an “inspiration to his family and those around him.”
Lyon was remembered as a “beloved husband, devoted father of two, and great mate,” his family wrote in a statement.
“Danniel’s smile could brighten even the darkest days. His light shone so brightly we cannot imagine a world without it,” they added.
“He was an excellent cook, and prepared the family’s Christmas dinner on a number of occasions, with the same meticulous precision he brought to his work – he would shoo us out of the kitchen if we threatened to interfere,” they added.
In a tribute to Nugent, his family said that “becoming an officer in the Army was along-held dream.”
“Our Max fitted so much living into his 24 years,” they wrote. “He loved flying, and Army life was everything he hoped it would be. He was straight as an arrow, stubborn, reliable, hilarious, generous and a radiant light in our lives. His loss leaves an unbearable grief in our hearts, and we ask that the media respects our privacy while we mourn.”
source: people.com
