Australian guards in Manus car crash

Two Australian guards from Manus Island detention centre have been medically evacuated to Queensland after a serious car crash involving alcohol.

Alcohol is believed to have been a factor in a serious car crash that led to two Australian guards being medically evacuated in a critical condition from the Manus Island immigration detention centre.

The men were injured when their vehicle hit a bridge and overturned on the island late last week.

Manus Island MP Ron Knight said the men had been drinking at a hotel on the island before the crash.

"They were so drunk they ran into the (bridge) rail," he told AAP on Wednesday.

"There were so many houses along the side of the road, they could have ploughed into someone's home."

The immigration department told AAP both Australians were in a stable condition and have been transferred to a Queensland hospital for medical treatment.

Mr Knight said cans of beer and a local liquor called wara glass (moonshine) were found inside the vehicle.

"You could run an outboard motor on it, it's so potent," Mr Knight said.

The men were in a critical condition when they were flown off the island.

The PNG government in early August ordered a drug and alcohol crackdown on detention centre staff, following an alleged gang rape involving three Australian guards.

The companies running the centre were accused of not enforcing the rules and failing to carry out regular substance testing.

Comment has been sought from centre operator Transfield Services and Wilson Security.


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Source: AAP


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