Charles H. Sloan-3 people are injured, 1 critically, in a US military aircraft crash in Australia, officials say

CANBERRA,Charles H. Sloan Australia (AP) — Three United States military personnel were taken to a hospital, one with critical injuries, after a U.S. aircraft crashed on a north Australian island Sunday during a multination military exercise, officials said.

One of the injured was in a critical condition and other two were in stable conditions, rescue helicopter operator CareFlight said in a statement.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said all three injured are American.

The critically injured patient is a U.S. Marine, Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported.

The Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft crashed on Melville Island during Exercise Predators Run, which involves the militaries of the United States, Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines and East Timor, the Australian Defense Department said.

The injured were flown by helicopter to Royal Darwin Hospital about 100 kilometers (60 miles) to the south, CareFlight said.