Soldier dies after vehicle rolls during ADF training in Townsville

A soldier has died after he was involved in a vehicle rollover during an Australian Defence Force training exercise in North Queensland.

Paramedics were called to the crash on Hervey Range Road, west of Townsville, just before 7pm on Wednesday, and the soldier was airlifted to hospital in a life-threatening condition.

In this file image, ADF soldiers train at Townsville Field Training Area.

Two other army personnel were also injured, with one man in his 30s also airlifted to Townsville University Hospital with chest and abdominal injuries.

Another man, in his 20s, suffered back injuries and was driven to the hospital in an ambulance.

The two latter patients were discharged from hospital early on Thursday.

The accident happened during an exercise at Townsville Field Training Area, where in 2021 two soldiers died after a vehicle rolled down an embankment during a training exercise.

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Premier David Crisafulli paid tribute to those injured in the incident, as well as ADF personnel more broadly.

“We have great respect for our servicemen and women – what they do to keep us safe, the sacrifices they make,” he told parliament on Thursday morning.

“Our defence personnel are important to our state, and they’re very important to the Townsville community.

“I know the local community will stand beside those affected as the circumstances of this incident are understood and all in this house are thinking of everyone involved.”

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