A major military training exercise nearly turned into an international tragedy after a fighter jet crashed in a remote area south of Darwin.
The Italian warplane was taking part in the biennial Pitch Black exercise when it crashed near the Daly River in the Northern Territory on Wednesday.
The office of Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles confirmed the pilot ejected from the plane before the crash and there were no reported fatalities.
A search and rescue helicopter helped recover the pilot, a defense spokesman said.
“The exercise participant immediately contacted the crew in the area via radio after his ejection,” the spokesman said.
‘The pilot arrived at the hospital by helicopter at around 13:30 (local time).’
All flights to the event have been cancelled for the remainder of the day.
It is not yet known what caused the accident.
Fighter jets are seen flying in formation near Darwin as part of exercise Pitch Black
Assistant Defence Minister Matt Thistlethwaite said 4,500 troops from 20 nations were taking part in the training event, with six of those nations participating for the first time.
In July 2023, a decorated army pilot and three others were killed when their helicopter plunged into the sea off Lindeman Island in Queensland during a military training event.
Before Wednesday’s crash, Mr Thistlethwaite insisted the force had learned from previous incidents and that participants receive detailed support, communication and assurances about altitudes and flight configurations.
“It takes 10 hours to plan one of those missions that lasts about an hour in the sky,” he told Sky News on Wednesday.
“It took a huge effort by our men and women to ensure we got here with so many aircraft,” he said in comments released by the Australian Defence Force on Friday.
Pitch Black, one of the world’s largest tactical air operations, is hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force and includes more than 140 aircraft.
The exercise will take place at both RAAF Darwin and RAAF Tindal.
The Air Force website describes the operation as its “most significant flying activity to strengthen international engagement and enhance our ability to work with foreign partners.”
“Activities such as Exercise Pitch Black help promote a free and open Indo-Pacific region, build connections around the world, reinforce regional security, and develop regional resilience to transnational threats,” the force added.