Australian woman injured in crash with U.S. military vehicle dies
SASEBO NAVAL BASE, Japan — A 60-year-old Australian woman whose bicycle collided with a military vehicle operated by two U.S. sailors on July 24 has died, according to police.
The North Ipswich woman, whose name has been withheld at the request of her family, died Sunday at Princess Alexandra Hospital in Queensland a week after colliding with the sailors who were taking part in Talisman Sabre 2011 exercises, according to a news release from the Queensland Police Service.
Police spokesman Chris Loy declined to provide further information Monday, but police said last week that an investigation was ongoing.
The crash occurred about 9 a.m. at a three-way intersection near Royal Australian Air Force Base Amberley, police said. The woman suffered serious head, pelvic and spinal fractures. She had surgery and had been listed in critical and unstable condition.
The sailors — attached to VP-40, a P-3 aircraft squadron out of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash. — were on duty at the time of the crash and were not injured, police have said previously. Officials have declined to give their names, but said the 24-year-old driver is a third class petty officer and the 28-year-old passenger is a first class petty officer.
U.S. military officials said that any further comment on the incident would have to come from the U.S. Embassy in Australia. Embassy officials did not respond to queries Monday.
From staff reports
