Three Australian Commandos and a US soldier have been killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan.
The diggers were among 10 Australians from the Special Operations Task Group on the coalition forces helicopter when it went down in rugged terrain in Northern Kandahar.
The chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, said the crash at 3:39am (Afghanistan time) was not the result of enemy action.
He said the seven other Australians on board the helicopter are being treated for their wounds.
“Two are very seriously wounded with one undergoing surgery and one is in intensive care at an ISAF medical facility,” he said.
“These soldiers, along with one of the less seriously wounded, will be moved to the US military hospital in Bagram later today once their condition stabilises.”
A NATO spokeswoman in Kabul confirmed that a US soldier was also killed in the crash.
Air Chief Marshal Houston said as operations were ongoing he was unable to provide more details, but he did confirm all three of the soldiers killed had previously served in Afghanistan.
“These three soldiers were members of a very impressive group of soldiers who were highly skilled and highly motivated,” he said.
“Just last week they were involved in an operation at Shah Wali Kot which dealt a major blow to Taliban insurgents in Northern Kandahar province.”
The crash was Australia’s deadliest single incident in the nearly nine-year conflict. Air Chief Marshal Houston said the cause of the crash would be investigated.
The deaths bring the number of Australians who have died during operations in Afghanistan since 2001 to 16.
Earlier this month, a roadside bomb killed Sappers Jacob Moerland and Darren Smith of the Australian mentoring taskforce.
