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AUSTRALIA-HELICOPTER-CRASH
Water-bombing helicopter crashes in Australia, pilot dead
SYDNEY, Aug 17, 2018 (BSS/XINHUA) – A pilot in Australia was killed after
his firefighting aircraft crashed “into a tree” 230 km south of Sydney on
Friday, while battling a 1,700-hectare wildfire.
A spokesperson from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority told the local
media that the Kawasaki BK117 helicopter went down near the township of
Ulladulla, with paramedics called to the scene around 2:15 p.m. local time
(0415 GMT).
With unseasonably warm weather and strong winds making conditions
extremely difficult, emergency services have been struggling to contain
dozens of blazes across Australia’s State of New South Wales (NSW).
According to a NSW police spokesman, “significant resources” have been
sent to the area where the aircraft lost control.
A local Australian Naval base, the HMAS Albatross, is also believed to be
providing assistance.
It is believed that the pilot was the only person on board.
BSS/XINHUA/GMR/1400 hrs