Australian Army soldier dies in training exercise - ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation

An Australian Army soldier has died and five others have been injured during a training exercise. (ABC News)

An Australian Army soldier has been killed and five others injured during a training exercise at the Northern Territory's Mount Bundey Training Area.

The five injured soldiers were flown to Royal Darwin Hospital where they continue to receive treatment for their injuries.

The Australian Defence Force is expected to provide an update this afternoon.

The Australian Defence Force has confirmed the fatal incident at Mount Bundey Training Area in the Northern Territory yesterday was a military vehicle rollover.

A 28-year-old male soldier was killed and five other personnel on board were injured in the crash.

Northern Territory police responded to the incident around 4:20pm yesterday afternoon, with CareFlight NT and St John Ambulance responding to the incident.

Two of the injured personnel were transferred to Royal Darwin Hospital by helicopter.

The other three personnel were transferred to hospital by plane.

The Mount Bundey Training Area, about 100km south-east of Darwin, is used by the Australian Army and its allies for live-fire training.

The Mount Bundey Training Area is used by the Australian Army and its allies for live-fire training, including Exercise Predators Run in 2022. (ABC News: Michael Franchi)

In a statement, the Department of Defence confirmed the next of kin had been notified. 

"We request that the privacy of Defence members and families is respected at this time," they said.

NT Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro confirmed the five injured soldiers were each airlifted to Royal Darwin Hospital.

"The Northern Territory supported two injured evacuations by helicopter to Royal Darwin Hospital at about 7:30 last night and another three by plane at about 9:30 last night," she said.

"I want to offer our sincere condolences to the family of the young service personnel who lost their life yesterday.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family who are obviously devastated by this loss and of course, the support of our entire community is there for all of our service personnel who will be feeling this loss immensely."

NT Police Commissioner Martin Dole said he had sent resources to the training facility to assist the Defence Department's investigation.

"We can't comment on the cause of the injury to the defence personnel but we are assisting and we're helping to investigate on behalf of the coroner," he said.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles said the incident was "a tragic loss of one of our finest soldiers".

"Australia’s service men and women do an exceptional job training and fighting for our country," he said. 

"This work in the defence of our nation carries risk.

"Our thoughts in this difficult time are with their family and friends."

Mr Marles said Defence was working with and supporting all the families involved and that further information would be provided "in due course".

Federal Minister for Veteran Affairs Matthew Keogh extended his condolences to the family of the soldier who has died and the broader Australian Defence Force family.

Exercises are held regularly at Mount Bundey, south-east of Darwin. (ABC News: Steven Schubert)

"No matter how someone in our Australian defence force passes away, it's tragic and we want to make sure that their families and the people who work with them are supported whenever that occurs," he said.

Mr Keogh said the army had already been looking into the force's training systems and ensuring "everyone is safe as possible".

Federal Opposition Leader and Shadow Minister for Defence Angus Taylor offered condolences to the soldier's family, loved ones, and unit mates.

"We are also thinking of the five soldiers injured in this incident.

"We wish them a full and swift recovery, and our thoughts are with their families who will be supporting them through this very challenging time."

The latest incident is the second death of an Australian soldier this year, after Warrant Officer Class Two Lachlan Muddle from the Special Air Service Regiment died during a training exercise in Jervis Bay in May.

Warrant Officer Muddle fell to the ground after a midair collision with another paratrooper.

The other paratrooper, a sergeant from the Australian Defence Force (ADF) Parachute School, survived the fall with minor injuries.

The Mount Bundey incident is not the first death at the Northern Territory training ground.

In 2017, Australian Army Private Jason Challis was killed there during a live-fire training exercise.

Australian Army soldiers during Exercise Predators Run at the Mount Bundey Training Area in 2022. (ABC News: Michael Franchi)

An inquest into his death in 2019 heard Private Challis was shot while standing behind a plywood wall in an urban attack exercise in a setting meant to resemble a village.

The NT coroner described the Victorian soldier's death as being part of a "shambolic" live-fire exercise and partly the result of a "long-held mindset" against rehearsals for combat-like operations.

The Department of Defence later pleaded guilty in the Darwin Local Court to one charge of failing to comply with a health and safety duty.