Warrant Officer Class Two Lachlan Muddle has been described as a highly skilled soldier who will be missed. Photo: Australian Defence Force.
UPDATE – 12 May, 1:30 pm: An experienced Australian Army soldier has died after two paratroopers “fell from height” during a training course on the NSW South Coast.
Earlier today (Tuesday 12 May), a Defence spokesperson said an incident occurred at the Jervis Bay Airfield on Monday evening (11 May).
Australian Army Special Operations Commander Major General Garth Gould said two paratroopers “fell from height” during an exercise.
Special Air Service Regiment soldier Warrant Officer Class Two Lachlan Muddle, 50, sustained fatal injuries.
“[He] collided with another paratrooper, midair,” Major General Gould told media on Tuesday.
The other soldier, a sergeant, survived with minor injuries and is “recovering well”.
Major General Gould said they were “assisting” in a specialist parachute training activity at the ADF Parachute School at Jervis Bay at the time.
Both were able to successfully open their parachutes.
He also said that both were highly skilled and had several thousand jumps between them.
Major General Gould said the course was part of a six-week block in advanced military freewill training.
At the time of the incident, they were jumping from a civilian aircraft that had been leased for the training.
“The actual collision we believe occurred a few hundred feet above the ground with both paratroopers operating their canopy, or their parachute, effectively.
“It was early in the evening, with low light conditions. The people involved in the training were using night-vision goggles.”
The ADF has paused all personnel parachuting operations as it waits on the outcome of “a number of” investigations.
He said a decision would be made by the Chief of Army when training would resume.
“For all Australian Defence Force personnel parachuting – where there are humans attached to parachutes of all kinds – we have paused that pending the investigation of this matter.”
The incident comes just over two years since the former federal minister Joel Fitzgibbon’s son, Lance Corporal Jack Fitzgibbon, was killed in a parachute incident.
“That matter involved a single paratrooper,” Major General Gould said of that incident.
“It was investigated through a number of lines of investigation and inquiry. … Since then, we have undertaken a very thorough review of our parachuting system.”
He said he maintained a “high degree of confidence” in ADF paratrooper training.
Major General Gould also paid tribute to Warrant Officer Muddle, describing him as a highly qualified sniper and freefall parachutist.
“He’ll be remembered for his sense of humour and his genuine and deep commitment to serving the nation … His loss has been very deeply and immediately felt.”
Warrant Officer Muddle joined the Australian Army in 1994, and spent the majority of his career in special operations.
Minister for Defence Richard Marles said he remained “confident” in ADF parachuting operations. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
Minister for Defence Richard Marles said Warrant Officer Muddle had served five deployments, including to Afghanistan.
“Lachlan Muddle was an expert sniper. He was a deeply experienced special forces solider.”
He said authorities would take “every necessary lesson” from investigations into his death.
“It does appear as though the parachutes have become tangled … The exact rate of descent, whether they landed together – those are details which need to be investigated.”
He said he remained confident in ADF parachuting operations.
“I’ve seen firsthand the skill and the competence of those men and women who serve in our Defence Force and, specifically in relation to parachuting.”
12 May, 11:50 am: An Australian Army soldier has died during a parachuting training course on the NSW South Coast.
In a statement, a Defence spokesperson said that the incident occurred at the Jervis Bay Airfield on Monday evening (11 May).
One other Australian Army soldier was injured but did not require hospitalisation.
“We request that the privacy of Defence members and families is respected at this time,” the spokesperson said.
The Australian Defence Force Parachuting School is located at nearby HMAS Albatross near Nowra, and is an Australian Army unit within the Defence Special Operations Training and Education Centre (DSOTEC).
The school uses contractor C-212 aircraft as well as Royal Australian Air Force C-27J Spartans, C-130J Hercules, and C-17A Globemaster IIIs.
It was established to provide training in parachuting techniques, to develop parachute doctrine and techniques, and to conduct trial evaluations of parachute systems and associated equipment.
More to come.
Original Article published by Claire Sams on Region Canberra.
