North Queensland Cowboys honour four ADF victims of horror helicopter crash near Hamilton Island during routine army exercise

  • Cowboys paid tribute to four Defence force members who died
  • Followed helicopter training exercise crash in Queensland on July 28
  • Images of quartet on big screen just before kick-off in Townsville

By Andrew Prentice For Daily Mail Australia

The North Queensland Cowboys have paid tribute to the four Australian defence force members who died in a helicopter training exercise last month.

In front of a capacity crowd in Townsville on Saturday afternoon, images of Lieutenant Maxwell Nugent, Corporal Alex Naggs, Warrant Officer Class Two Phillip Laycock and Captain Danniel Lyon featured on the big screen just before kick-off against the Broncos.

Tragically, the quartet lost their lives after their Taipan MRH-90 helicopter crashed off Lindeman Island, near Hamilton Island in Queensland, around 10.30pm on July 28.

The scene was said to be ‘consistent with a catastrophic, high-impact crash.’

Lieutenant-General Greg Bilton told reporters this week the search-and-recovery mission identified ‘further debris’ in the ocean near Hamilton Island.

The North Queensland Cowboys paid tribute on Saturday (pictured above) to the four Australian defence force members who died in a helicopter training accident in Queensland last month

The North Queensland Cowboys paid tribute on Saturday (pictured above) to the four Australian defence force members who died in a helicopter training accident in Queensland last month

The tribute on the big screen was played moments before the Cowboys and Broncos squared off in Townsville (Cowboys fullback Scott Drinkwater is pictured, middle

The tribute on the big screen was played moments before the Cowboys and Broncos squared off in Townsville (Cowboys fullback Scott Drinkwater is pictured, middle

The tribute on the big screen was played moments before the Cowboys and Broncos squared off in Townsville (Cowboys fullback Scott Drinkwater is pictured, middle

‘Sadly, I can confirm human remains have also been observed in this location by a remote underwater vehicle,’ he said. 

‘Due to the nature of the debris field, positive identification of the remains is unlikely to occur until we recover more of the wreckage.’

Bilton also stated the helicopter’s cockpit and major sections of the fuselage was located 40 metres below the surface.

Captain Lyon was also a popular member of the Hermit Park Tigers senior AFL team – and will be remembered at this weekend’s derby clash versus the Curra Swans.

‘We are going to form a circle on the middle of the ground and take out an Army guernsey and a Hermit Park guernsey and we will pay our respect out there,’ close friend Sam Tonkes told the Townsville Bulletin.

Australian Army soldier Corporal Alex Naggs, (pictured, left) Lieutenant Maxwell Nugent and Warrant Officer Class 2 Joseph Laycock (right) all were killed during the training exercise on July 28

Australian Army soldier Corporal Alex Naggs, (pictured, left) Lieutenant Maxwell Nugent and Warrant Officer Class 2 Joseph Laycock (right) all were killed during the training exercise on July 28

Australian Army soldier Corporal Alex Naggs, (pictured, left) Lieutenant Maxwell Nugent and Warrant Officer Class 2 Joseph Laycock (right) all were killed during the training exercise on July 28

‘Danniel was a very good mate of mine. I served with him in the army myself and he was a very good guy and a very good footballer.

‘He was a very respected soldier as well.’

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the crash was a ‘stark reminder’ there were no ‘easy or safe’ days for Australians serving their country.

The disaster unfolded during Talisman Sabre military exercises, which includes more than 30,000 personnel, including from the US and several other countries.

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