Howard says Indonesia helicopter deaths 'heartbreaking'

The death of nine Australian service personnel in a helicopter that crashed during an Indonesia mercy mission is heartbreaking, the country's Prime Minister John Howard said today.

Mr Howard said the crash, which also left two Australian personnel injured, appeared to be a terrible accident.

The Sea King helicopter crashed while on approach to Aman Draya village on the remote west coast of Nias, delivering aid to the earthquake-torn area.

Mr Howard said the fact the nine died while helping others made the accident even more tragic.

"I know that sadly it appears that nine have been killed, two have survived," he told ABC radio.

"This is really quite heartbreaking. These young Australians were on a mission of mercy and compassion, they were helping the poor people of the island of Nias in the wake of the latest earthquake there.

"Every life of an Australian service man or woman is precious to all of us, it's precious to me, and I am really very, very saddened by this.

"To lose nine young Australians on a mission such as this is really quite terrible news."

Mr Howard said the Defence Force would hold an official investigation into the accident.

The helicopter crashed on a mission to aid survivors of an earthquake on the Indonesian island of Nias.

It was Australia's worst operation loss since the Vietnam War operational loss, officials said.

"Nine Australian Defence Force personnel on board the crashed helicopter are missing, presumed dead," a spokesman for the Australian Defence Department earlier told Reuters.

A defence statement said two other personnel had been recovered from the crash site of the Royal Australian navy Sea King helicopter near a village in the south of Nias, a small island off the west coast of Sumatra.

The helicopter had been flying an emergency medical team from the Australian navy amphibious transport ship HMAS Kanimbla to Nias when it crashed, an Australian Associated Press (AAP) journalist reported from on board the Kanimbla. 

"The two survivors were recovered by a second Sea King helicopter and were taken back to HMAS Kanimbla," the statement said. "The Kanimbla is steaming towards the crash site. "

There was no immediate explanation of the cause of the crash.

The department earlier said the helicopter had crashed near Gunungsitoli on Nias shortly after 7:30 p.m Australian eastern time (0930 GMT).

The AAP reporter on board the Kanimbla said the ship's crew had been told that nine people, all Australians, on board the helicopter had died.

The dead comprised five navy personnel, three from the Royal Australian air force and one from the Australian army, AAP said.

In Jakarta, Indonesian air force spokesman Sagom Tambun said by telephone the helicopter had evacuated earthquake victims and was on its way back to the Kanimbla but there was no confirmation of this from Australian officials.

"But before it could reach the ship, it fell and burned ... residents saw three of its crew escape and they are now on the ship, but we don't know yet how many crew were in the helicopter," the spokesman said.

The Kanimbla had been on its way back to Australia when it was directed back to Indonesia to provide relief after Monday's 8.7 magnitude earthquake off Nias. Up to 1300 people may have died in Gunungsitoli alone, according to UN officials.

It had been part of a A$1 billion ($1.09 billion) assistance package provided by Australia in the wake of the December 26 earthquake and tsunami that left almost 300,000 dead or listed as missing around the Indian Ocean rim.

- AAP, REUTERS