- One crew member has died after a helicopter crashed into the Barito River in South Kalimantan during a firefighting mission, while two others, an Australian and a New Zealander, were rescued and taken to hospital for treatment.
- The deceased crew member was identified as Yayan Supyansuri, while the rescued individuals were Michael John Betterridge and Hugh Andrew John Page.
- Indonesian authorities have retrieved the helicopter's blackbox to assist in ongoing investigations into the crash.
- Wildfires continue to spread in Indonesia, with smoke affecting residential areas and neighboring countries, raising public health concerns.
- Australia has initiated aerial firefighting operations in East Kutai, East Kalimantan, deploying two aircraft to target hotspots.
- The operation involves a Lockheed C-130H Hercules for water bombing and a Cessna Citation for pilot support.
- Local residents in East Kutai are beginning to feel the effects of the wildfires, with smoke spreading into residential areas.
A firefighting helicopter crash in Indonesia's Barito River resulted in the death of crew member Yayan Supyansuri, while Australian national Michael John Betterridge and New Zealander Hugh Andrew John Page were rescued. The helicopter, a Super Puma H-225, was contracted for firefighting operations.
The crash occurred amid ongoing aerial firefighting efforts supported by Australia, which has deployed aircraft and personnel to combat wildfires in East Kalimantan. The Australian government has initiated operations targeting hotspots, with two aircraft involved in the mission.67
According to Khairunnisa Nur, Acting Head of East Kutai Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency, the fires have scorched approximately 4 hectares of land, affecting local residents as smoke spreads into residential areas. She noted, “Today, all the fires are approaching residential areas. The immediate priority is to respond to the situation.”10
The military has retrieved the helicopter's black box to aid investigations into the crash, which follows another incident in central Kalimantan that killed three crew members. The wildfires this year have been particularly challenging due to drought conditions linked to a stronger El Niño, resulting in toxic smog affecting air quality and public health across Kalimantan and Sumatra, and even drifting to Malaysia and Singapore.
Foreign governments, including Australia, have stepped in to assist with firefighting efforts, deploying aircraft and personnel to mitigate the crisis.
“The crash occurred days after another helicopter went down in central Kalimantan, killing three crew members. The wildfires, exacerbated by a stronger El Niño, have sent toxic smog blanketing cities and triggered respiratory illness surges across Kalimantan and Sumatra.”
ANTARA NewsBBC
