Defence Force ‘pausing’ NH90 helicopters for 48 hours after deadly Australian crash

The New Zealand Defence force is keeping all its NH90 helicopters on the ground for 48 hours after a fatal Australian crash in a similar helicopter.

An Australian Army MRH-90 helicopter crashed into waters off the Queensland Coast about a week ago.

Four people were feared killed. Chief of Army Lieutenant General Simon Stuart named the missing soldiers as Captain Daniel Lyon, Lieutenant Maxwell Nugent, Warrant Officer Class Two Joseph Laycock and Corporal Alexander Naggs.

The New Zealand Defence Force has eight very similar helicopters – the NH90s. It earlier this week said it was not grounding them but on Wednesday morning said it was ”pausing” them, meaning they could not now fly for 48 hours.

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New Zealand’s NH90 helicopters are often called on in emergencies, notably playing a crucial role in rescuing people after the devastating Cyclone Gabrielle earlier in 2023.

The Australian MRH90 Taipan and New Zealand NH90 are described as the “same type” of aircraft by the Defence Force.

Air Force chief Air Vice-Marshal Andrew Clar said pausing the eight New Zealand NH90 helicopters was a precautionary approach and would be reassessed on Thursday morning.

“On Monday night the Australian Defence Force formally revised its position on their fleet of Taipan helicopters, going from an operational pause to a cessation of flying,” he said. “While the RNZAF has no current reason to believe our NH90s are not safe to fly, as a precautionary approach we decided to pause our flying for 48 hours to carry out a risk assessment. At the end of that time, we will make a decision whether to resume flying or not.”

The “pause” was not a “grounding”, which was a formal declaration by regulators that an aircraft could not fly, he said.They would be allowed to fly in the meantime where there was a risk to life.