Firefighting Helicopter Crashes in Indonesia, One Dead

A firefighting helicopter crashed into the Barito River in South Kalimantan province, Indonesia, on Sunday during operations to combat forest fires. Initial reports indicated all three crew members had been rescued, but authorities later confirmed that one crew member was killed and two others survived.

According to reports in local media and the Indonesian news agency ANTARA, the crash occurred near the village of Tabatan Baru in the Barito Kuala district. The aircraft, a Eurocopter EC225LP Super Puma with registration VH-HGM, was operated by Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) as part of efforts to fight the forest fires.

The helicopter went down while drawing water from the Barito River using a Bambi Bucket, a large water container suspended beneath the aircraft by cable. The system allows helicopters to scoop water from natural sources and drop it over fire zones from the air.

Amateur footage circulated on social media shows the helicopter flying low over the river. During the maneuver, after collecting water, the aircraft appears to lose control and begins diving toward the water before crashing into the river. Local residents arrived by boat to assist in rescuing the crew.

Search ends in tragedy

In the hours immediately following the crash, two crew members were reported found alive, while the third, an Indonesian national named Yayan Supyansuri, was missing.

Rescue teams from BASARNAS, Indonesia's search and rescue authority, deployed to the scene with 18 rescuers, rescue boats and equipment for locating missing persons underwater. At 6:08 p.m. local time, Supyansuri's body was recovered and he was pronounced dead.

The two other crew members, pilot Hugh Pagi and co-pilot and flight mechanic Mick Betteridge, were rescued alive and evacuated for medical treatment. The Indonesian news agency ANTARA confirmed that all three crew members had been located and there were no further missing persons.

The current crash comes just days after another fatal accident during firefighting operations in Indonesia. On Wednesday, November 4, a military Mi-17V5 helicopter crashed in Central Kalimantan province while participating in a firefighting mission in Tanjung Puting National Park. Eight people were aboard. Three crew members were killed and five others survived.

The disasters unfold against the backdrop of Indonesia's prolonged struggle with extensive forest fires across the islands of Sumatra, Borneo and Papua. The fires have caused severe air pollution and smoke that has spread to neighboring countries, including Malaysia, Singapore and East Timor. According to data from the environmental monitoring organization Nusantara Atlas, the fires have consumed more than 1.9 million hectares of land.

Following the latest crash, the disaster management agency announced it will conduct a comprehensive review of aviation safety, including aircraft maintenance, water-scooping procedures, crew qualifications and weather conditions. At this stage, what caused the helicopter to lose control and plunge into the river has not been determined.