Source : Perth Now news
Two Australians have survived their helicopter crashing in a river while fighting forest fires in Indonesia.
Rescuers are searching for a third crew member, an Indonesian citizen, after the aircraft fell into the Barito River on Sunday in South Kalimantan province, according to the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB).
The two Australia pilots were receiving medical treatment, the BNPB said.
An 18-member rescue team was sent to search for the missing crew member.
The incident comes as Indonesia experiences its worst wildfires in a decade, with Australia deploying firefighting personnel to help battle the blazes.
The intense fires, burning mainly on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, began in July and have been aggravated by a severe El Nino weather pattern, the government says.
Contributing factors also include land clearance using fire, as well as water shortages that have hampered firefighters.
Toxic haze and smoke have caused a health crisis in neighbouring countries, drifting as far as the Philippines, more than 800km away.
