A male pilot has died after a waterbombing helicopter crashed while battling fires on the NSW South Coast.
The NSW Rural Fire Service confirmed in a statement that “a serious incident” had occurred involving one of their contracted waterbombing helicopters, fighting the Kingiman fire,west of Ulladulla.
The pilot was the only person on board.
According to the ABC, paramedics were called to the scene at around 2:15pm after the helicopter crashed near Woodstock in the Shoalhaven area.
Civil Aviation Safety Authority spokesman Peter Gibson told the ABC the helicopter had “crashed into terrain”, believed to be a tree.
All firefighting aircraft in the area have since been grounded.
The Milton Ulladulla Times reports a crime scene has been established at the scene of the incident.
Statement re incident on the Kingiman Fire. #NSWRFS pic.twitter.com/ywRfjeXT6u
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) August 17, 2018
Firefighters have been fighting for control of the Kingiman bushfire since Wednesday, with some residents having to evacuate their homes.
In a statement at 9:30am this morning, NSW RFS said there are 75 fires burning across the state with 32 “yet to be brought under control”.
More than 800 firefighters are battling the bushfires.
