Indigenous ceremonies honor Marines killed in the Osprey crash in Australia a year ago

Family members of three Marines who died in an MV-22B Osprey crash last year took part in a spiritual walk and ceremonies in Australia's Northern Territory last week.

Cpl. Spencer Collart, 21, of Arlington, Va.; Capt. Eleanor LeBeau, 29, of Belleville, Ill.; and Maj. Tobin Lewis, 37, of Jefferson, Colorado, died Aug. 4, 2023, when their tiltrotor crashed on Melville Island, off the north coast of Australia.

Their families, along with Marines and Australian troops, accompanied the Indigenous people for the walk and ceremonies on Sept. 24, 26 and Friday at and near the Marine Rotational Force crash site – Darwin said in a news release on Tuesday.

The Osprey was assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 363 at Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

A Marine Corps accident report released Aug. 9 identified “pilot error and complacency” as the primary cause of the crash.

According to the report, the Osprey crashed after coming close to another aircraft while approaching a landing zone. It also found that the squadron's leadership had “enabled a culture that disregarded aviation safety.”

The U.S. military grounded its fleet of about 400 Ospreys between Dec. 6 and March 8 as it investigated the Nov. 29 crash of an Air Force CV-22 Osprey that killed eight airmen off the southern coast of Japan lives came.

However, 10 Ospreys assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 268 (Reinforced), based in Kaneohe Bay, were in Darwin as part of this year's six-month training rotation of about 2,000 Marines.

The rotational force, which is expected to soon complete its mission this year, did not respond Wednesday to emailed requests for interviews and more information about the memorial ceremonies.

The spiritual walk took place on September 24 at locations including Robertson Barracks and the Larrakeyah Defense Precinct, where rotational soldiers live and work near Darwin, and at the Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin, the release said.

“These ceremonies set the stage for the final Pukumani ceremony,” the release said, referring to an Indigenous event meant to guide the spirits of fallen Marines.

On Sept. 26, Marines, families of the fallen and Australian troops watched as Tiwi Islanders, assisted by Larrakia people, performed a healing ritual that marked the end of a year-long, month-long mourning period, the release said.

During the event, Tiwi Islanders officially welcomed the U.S. Marine Corps, the three fallen Marines and their families into the community, the release said.

“The Tiwi people have a long-standing association with both the Australian and US military,” Leslie Tungatalum, chair of the Tiwi Land Council, said in the release. “This adoption shows our deep respect for Marines and their families and strengthens the bonds between us.”

Marines, family members of the deceased and Australian troops traveled to the crash site at Pickertaramoor on Melville Island on Friday for the Pukumani ceremony, the release said.

There, locals erected Pukumani poles representing the eight Tiwi clans, as well as three additional poles for the fallen Marines, according to the news release.

“We are a very close-knit family and the Tiwi people are obviously about family too. That’s what really draws us to them and makes us feel one with them,” said Spencer Collart’s father, Bart Collart, in the press release . “Our Marine Corps family has also been wonderful and it’s just an honor to be here.”