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Hamilton Island: MRH-90 Taipan Crash

Aug 1, 2023 | In Parliament, Latest Speeches

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Mr CHESTER (Gippsland) (16:11): I rise, on behalf of the people of Gippsland, with a very heavy heart today to extend my sympathies to the loved ones, the families and friends, of the four aviators missing off the coast of Queensland. The details of the crash are very sketchy at this point, but we do know that senior officers of the Australian Defence Force are now indicating that this is a recovery operation, where they are seeking to recover wreckage of the helicopter but also the four people on board. Captain Danniel Lyon, Lieutenant Maxwell Nugent, Warrant Office Class 2 Joseph Laycock and Corporal Alexander Naggs are missing and feared dead in this tragic event. It’s a terrible reminder to all of us of the risks to those people who are prepared to place themselves in harm’s way to help those who can’t necessarily help themselves—training, providing the capability to keep our nation safe but also being available for humanitarian aid missions across our region. So I extend, on behalf of the people of Gippsland, our condolences, our sympathies, to everyone impacted by this terrible accident, and I wish the rescuers, the people involved in the search and rescue operation, every safety as they go about their very difficult task.

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