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Image Gallery: March 2007

The search for an Army Black Hawk helicopter

06 March 2007

The Defence Maritime Services vessel MV Seahorse Standard, using US Navy Supervisor of Salvage (SUPSALV) equipment, has recovered the remains of Trooper Joshua Porter. MV Seahorse Standard commenced the search for an Army Black Hawk helicopter after it sank in deep water off Fiji last November.

This task is a very complex and challenging one. SUPSALV are specialists in recovering military aircraft from depths at which the helicopter's flight data recorder was located. SUPSALV personnel and equipment previously pinpointed the location of the Black Hawk's Flight Data Recorder beacon in 2900 metres of water from HMAS Melville in mid-December 2006.

Any decision to attempt recovery of the wreckage will be based on data collected from the survey and the professional advice of the SUPSALV team.

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