Pilot error and environmental conditions have been blamed for a helicopter crash that killed two Australian special forces soldiers in Afghanistan.
The August 2012 crash in Helmand Province claimed the lives of special ops soldiers Lance Corporal Mervyn McDonald, 30, and Private Nathanael Galagher, 23. It also wounded a crewman.
The Department of Defence on Thursday released its findings into the crash, stating the pilots of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) chopper "lost situational awareness" as they tried to land the aircraft.
"The crash was the result of flight errors combined with environmental conditions," Defence said in a statement.
"There was no evidence that mechanical failure or enemy action contributed to the incident."
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The Defence inquiry led to six recommendations, five of which relate to operational matters but none that were found to have caused the August 30 crash.
The sixth recommendation was that a commission of inquiry into the crash was not warranted.
All recommendations have been implemented.
The families of Cpl McDonald and Pte Galagher have been informed of the inquiry findings and further details are not expected to be made public.
