Source : Perth Now news
Two Australians have survived a helicopter crash while battling wildfires in Indonesia.
Indonesian authorities said two Australian nationals had survived and an Indonesian crew member was missing after the helicopter crashed into the river as it scooped up water.
The helicopter was a part of efforts to fight raging fires in Borneo’s South Kalimantan province and was believed to be collecting water when it lost altitude.
Dramatic video posted to social media showed the chopper nosediving into the Barito River as it filled its buck on Sunday.
Another video showed locals fishing wreckage from the water.
National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Berton Panjaitan told local media that the two Australians were “safe” while an Indonesian remained missing.
“This incident occurred while the air fleet was conducting a water-bombing operation,” he said.
“In footage captured by an amateur video, the helicopter appears to lose control while manoeuvring after scooping up water from the river with a bambi bucket.”
The cause of the crash was being investigated.
It was the second crash in Indonesia in five days involving helicopters taking part in water bombing operations.
On Wednesday, three people died after a fire-fighting helicopter crashed in Central Kalimantan.
Indonesia has been battling its most intense wildfires in over a decade which have burned large swathes of land, particularly on the islands of Sumatra, Borneo and Papua.
