Australia helicopter crash: Four military aircrew missing

Four people are missing after a military helicopter crashed off the coat of Queensland in Australia.

The incident is understood to have taken place during an exercise between the Australian and US military off Hamilton Island on Friday night.

Defence Minister Richard Marles said a search and rescue mission was immediately launched.

"The four air crew are yet to be found," Marles said during a press conference on Saturday morning.

He said that the MRH-90 Taipan helicopter crashed near the island, in the Whitsundays, at about 10.30pm local time (12.30 GMT).

"Our hopes and thoughts are very much with the aircrew and their families," he said, adding that "we desperately hope for better news during the course of the day".

"These are early days and there will be much more information to be provided about this incident," he said.