AUTHORITIES have called off the search for three US marines less than 24 hours after their aircraft crashed off the central Queensland coast.

The US Navy and Marine Corps — with help from the Australian Defence Force — are now focusing their efforts on salvage and recovery, which they warn could take several months.

The three missing marines’ next-of-kin have been notified.

“The transition comes after teams led continuous sustained search efforts supported by aircraft and ships,” the US Marine Corp said in a statement.

“The circumstances of the mishap are currently under investigation, and there is no additional information available at this time.”

media_camera An MV-22B Osprey landing aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2017 near Rockhampton Queensland. Picture: Wesley Monts

According to American news channel NBC, the MV-22 Osprey had been on its final approach to the USS Green Bay off Shoalwater Bay when the crash occurred about 4pm yesterday, sending 21 passengers and five crew members into the water with the aircraft.

All but three marines had been found.

Yeppoon Coastguard radio officer Arthur Hunt said the search this morning was about 18 miles offshore, in a water depth of about 50m.

He said it was conducted between Cape Manifold and Cape Clinton.

The biennial Talisman Sabre joint US and Australian military training exercise recently concluded in the area.

media_camera Search operation off the central Queensland coast. Picture: Facebook/III MEF Marines

The USMC said the Osprey had taken off from the USS Bonhomme Richard, an amphibious assault ship, and was on regularly scheduled operations when it hit the water in what the US military described as a “mishap”.

Small boats and aircraft from the Bonhomme Richard were immediately deployed into a search before it was called off.

The Queensland Ambulance Service said it transported one of the marines involved to Rockhampton Hospital with a fractured leg, but it is not known how many others onboard were injured.

Keeping our families informed is of utmost importance to the Marine Corps. We have completed notification to the three Marines' families. pic.twitter.com/sVqqOGTBTj — III MEF Marines (@IIIMEF) August 6, 2017

US President Donald Trump, who has just begun a 17-day “working vacation”, at his New Jersey golf club, had been briefed on the incident by his new chief of staff John Kelly, a White House official told reporters.

Australian Defence Minister Marise Payne confirmed in a statement late last night that no ADF personnel had been on board the aircraft.

“Our thoughts are with the crew and families affected,” she said.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk offered the State Government’s support.

“On behalf of all Queenslanders, our prayers are with those US military personnel involved in the incident,” she said in a statement.

media_camera Search operation off the central Queensland coast. Picture: Facebook/III MEF Marines

The incident was the 10th known crash involving an Osprey, a tilt rotor aircraft that takes off and lands like a helicopter but flies like an aeroplane, since 1991, and the sixth since it officially came into service in 2007.

It is also potentially the worst military accident in Australia since the 1996 Black Hawk tragedy that killed 18 servicemen near Townsville.

The US Marine Corps said recovery efforts would be conducted to further search, assess and survey the area — as sea conditions permit — in co-ordination and with assistance from the ADF.

“Recovery and salvage operations can take several months to complete, but can be extended based on several environmental factors,” it said.

Please keep the families of those involved in the Osprey mishap near Australia in your thoughts and prayers. — Robert B. Neller (@GenRobertNeller) August 5, 2017

WHAT WE KNOW

* US Navy and Marine Corps have suspended search for three missing marines

* Operations have now shifted to recovery efforts in coordination with the Australian Defence Force, which could last several months

* Next-of-kin for the three missing Marines have been informed

* 26 on board the tilt-rotor aircraft MV-22 Osprey

* Crash occurred at 4pm on Saturday afternoon at Shoalwater Bay, off the central Queensland coast

* The Osprey had taken off from the USS Richard Bonhomme and was on scheduled operations

* 23 personnel have been rescued; one marine is in Rockhampton Hospital with a fractured leg

* No Australian personnel were on board

* The aircraft was in Australia for a joint military training exercise, the biennial Operation Talisman Sabre, held by the US and Australia in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area which ended last month

* Defence Minister Marise Payne has briefed Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis

* US President Donald Trump, who has just begun a 17-day vacation, has been briefed by his chief of staff John Kelly

* This is the 10th known crash involving an Osprey since 1991

media_camera Four MV-22 Ospreys in Darwin in April following the aircraft’s first ever trans-Pacific flight. Picture: US Marine Corps

Our @QldPolice thoughts tonight r with all of our friends from the USS Bonhomme Richard. We pray 4 a miracle. @USConGenSydney — Ian Stewart (@CoPStewart) August 5, 2017

A #31stMEU MV-22 flies over the horizon near @LHD6BHR. U.S. amphib training continues off the coast of Australia to be ready at all times. pic.twitter.com/HTu67mDk1O — AmphibForce7thFleet (@Amphib7FLT) August 4, 2017

Originally published as Rescue mission now a recovery effort