Australian Defense chief Angus Houston said in Canberra on Wednesday night that one Australian soldier died and another remained missing after their helicopter crashed while trying to land on a warship in South-West Pacific near Fiji.

Houston told a news conference the Black Hawk helicopter was on a training flight with 10 soldiers aboard when crashed late Wednesday afternoon, and sank soon after the crash.

Nine were recovered but one of them died later. Among the soldiers recovered, seven were injured, mostly suffering soft tissue injuries and broken bones.

"Further details of the accident will be released as soon as they are available," Houston said.

He said another Australian warship is continuing to search the area for the missing person.

"Details of personnel will not be released until other family members have been informed," he said.

The warship was dispatched with the other two warships to the sea near Fiji earlier this month to help evacuate Australians in case of a possible military coup in the Pacific island country.

Houston said the dead soldier and injured crew members would be evacuated to Noumea, capital of New Caledonia, aboard the HMAS Newcastle, another ship in the group which can travel very quickly.

The body and injured personnel will be flown back to Australia aboard a C-130 Hercules after the ship arrives in Noumea on the first of December.

Source: Xinhua