Soldier dies in training rollover

Corporal Brendan Hannam died in a single-vehicle rollover during a training exercise near Darwin on Monday. Five other soldiers were injured in the incident.

The incident and location

The rollover occurred at Mount Bundey training area, around one hundred kilometres south-east of Darwin in the Northern Territory. It was a troop-carrying vehicle.

Hannam's service and family

Hannam was a junior non-commissioned officer in the fifth/seventh battalion. He is survived by his partner and two young children. He served on two operational tours to Afghanistan in two thousand nineteen under Operation High.

Hannam trained Ukrainian forces

Hannam also trained Ukrainians with the British Armed Forces in the United Kingdom under Operation Kudu. Chief of the army Lt Gen Susan Coyle described him as a much beloved junior leader.

“He is a much beloved junior leader in our army.”

Condition of the injured

Two of the five injured soldiers remain in Royal Darwin hospital in stable condition with sustained injuries. The other three are at Robertson Barracks in a hospital ward being monitored.

Evacuation and response

Two people were evacuated by helicopter to Darwin around seven thirty pm on Monday. Another three were taken by plane around nine thirty pm. Defence is investigating the incident.

Government and military response

Deputy prime minister Richard Marles called Hannam one of Australia's finest soldiers. Prime minister Anthony Albanese, in Tuvalu for a pre-COP leaders' meeting, sent condolences to the family.

“Australia's service men and women do an exceptional job training and fighting for our country.”

Pattern of training deaths

This incident follows several high-profile training accidents. Jack Fitzgibbon died in two thousand twenty-four during a parachute incident in Sydney. Lachlan Muddle died in March after a mid-air collision during training above Jervis Bay.

Calls for thorough investigation

Deputy prime minister Marles said investigations into both Fitzgibbon's and Muddle's deaths must be thorough so every lesson is learned. Three separate inquiries followed Fitzgibbon's death.

“In both that incident and this one, it is vital that investigations are as thorough as humanly possible so that every lesson is learned.”