A Marine's Fight for Life: The World-First Treatment That Saved a Crash Victim
On August 27, 2023, a US Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey crashed on Melville Island, Australia, during a multinational military exercise. Three crew members were killed and twenty others were injured. Corporal Travis Reyes, a crew member, sustained critical injuries and was treated in Australian and US hospitals, where he underwent a previously unperformed medical procedure combining hyperbaric oxygen therapy with ECMO life support. He has since been discharged and is recovering.
Incident and Casualties
The crash occurred during Exercise Predator's Run, a multinational exercise involving approximately 2,500 personnel from the US, Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Timor Leste. According to reports, the crash resulted from a loss of lift after the pilots of the Osprey maneuvered to avoid a mid-air collision with another aircraft. The aircraft struck trees and caught fire.
Three US Marines died:
- Major Tobin Lewis
- Captain Eleanor LeBeau
- Corporal Spencer Collart
Corporal Reyes' Injuries and Initial Treatment
Corporal Travis Reyes, then 20 or 21 years old, was a crew member tethered by a wander lead. He was thrown against the bulkhead during the crash, sustaining critical injuries. These included:
- Pulverized lungs
- A broken neck
- Fractured ribs
- Internal organ damage
- Multiple strokes
- Removal of his left lung due to uncontrolled bleeding
- Removal of his spleen
He was initially treated at Royal Darwin Hospital before being transferred to The Alfred hospital in Melbourne, Australia, where he was placed on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and dialysis.
Treatment in Australia
At The Alfred, Reyes developed a rare, invasive fungal infection (mucormycosis and fusarium). Medical sources state the infection was likely introduced from soil at the crash site. It spread to his facial bones and neck, leading to gangrene and sepsis.
Surgeons performed multiple debridements to remove infected tissue. As a last resort, on September 15, 2023, doctors performed a world-first procedure: administering hyperbaric oxygen therapy to a patient while on ECMO. Reyes received 13 treatments over 15 days, which stopped the infection. He received 26 liters of blood transfusions during his treatment.
"A world-first procedure: hyperbaric oxygen therapy administered to a patient while on ECMO."
Transfer to the United States
On October 5, 2023, after 38 days at The Alfred, Reyes was flown to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, via a C-17 Globemaster. This is documented as the longest ECMO retrieval flight in history. During a refueling stop in Hawaii, the ECMO machine failed and was replaced mid-flight, a procedure also described as a world first. He was accompanied by his wife, Jasmine Policarpio, and his parents.
Recovery and Current Status
Reyes regained consciousness on October 12, 2023, after 46 days. He learned of the crash and the deaths of his crewmates weeks later. He was discharged after approximately eight months of intensive care.
His ongoing injuries and challenges include:
- Legal blindness
- Requirement for a leg brace to walk
- Loss of 40 kilograms (88 pounds)
- Three months of being bedridden
His medical records total approximately 22,000 pages. He has since left the Marine Corps. In July 2024, he participated in the Warrior Games, winning a bronze medal in powerlifting. He has also taken up archery and golf.
Medical Significance
The Alfred hospital has published three papers on the combined ECMO-hyperbaric oxygen therapy procedure. Other medical centers have reportedly begun testing similar treatments for patients with severe infections.
"His medical records total approximately 22,000 pages. He has since left the Marine Corps."