Arlington Marine among those killed in Australia helicopter crash

ARLINGTON, Va. — The three U.S. Marines killed in a tiltrotor aircraft crash during a training exercise in Australia were identified Tuesday. One of the Marines killed was from Arlington, Virginia. 

Spencer Collart first enlisted in the Marine Corps on Oct. 26, 2020, and was promoted to the rank of Corporal on Feb. 1, 2023. He served in Pensacola, Florida, and Jacksonville, North Carolina, before arriving at Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe Bay. Cpl Collart, an MV-22B crew chief. He received the National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, the Marine Corps said.

The Marine V-22B Osprey with 23 Marines on board crashed Sunday in tropical forest on Melville Island while taking part in Exercise Predators Run, a drill that includes the militaries of Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines and East Timor.

All 20 survivors were injured and were flown by rescue aircraft 80 kilometers (50 miles) south to the city of Darwin within hours of the crash. Three of those Marines remained in Royal Darwin Hospital on Tuesday, one in critical condition and two stable, a Marines statement said. Their names have not been released.

Up to 2,500 U.S. Marines have been based in Darwin for six months a year since 2012 as part of the U.S. military pivot to Asia to counter China’s growing influence in the region.

Col. Brendan Sullivan, the commanding officer of the Marine Rotation Force-Darwin, said the Marines’ focus was on supporting the recovery of wreckage and investigating the cause.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of three respected and beloved members of the MRF-D family,” Sullivan said in a statement.

In addition to Collart, the other Marines killed were identified as Osprey pilot Capt. Eleanor V. Beau, 29, originally of Belleville, Illinois and Maj. Tobin J. Lewis, 37, from Jefferson County, Colorado. All were based in Darwin.

President Joe Biden has also offered his condolences to their families.

“Jill and I send our deepest condolences to the families of the Marines who lost their lives in this deadly crash,” Biden tweeted, referring to his wife Jill Biden. “We are praying for those who also suffered injuries.”