A helicopter crashed while attempting to fight forest fires in Indonesia, the second such incident within a week. The latest crash resulted in one death, while two pilots survived.
On Sunday, 8 Nov 2026 GMT+7, a firefighting helicopter crashed into a river while scooping water to extinguish forest fires in Indonesia, resulting in one crew member's death. This is the second helicopter crash in recent days amid a persistent forest fire crisis.
The latest incident occurred at the Barito River in South Kalimantan Province on the island of Borneo. The Eurocopter EC225LP Super Puma was scooping water from the river when the added weight gradually pulled the aircraft down, causing it to nosedive and crash heavily into the water surface.
Two Australian pilots survived and are safe, while search and rescue (SAR) teams, including four divers, recovered the body of the deceased crew member—the last victim—from the river at 18:08 local time on Sunday, 8 Nov.
The helicopter involved belongs to a private company contracted by the Disaster Relief Office to carry out firefighting missions.
Earlier that Wednesday, a military helicopter carrying eight passengers crashed during a firefighting mission in Tanjung Puting National Park, home to Bornean orangutans. The aircraft also crashed into a river, resulting in three fatalities.
Indonesia has been battling severe forest fires for several months, destroying more than 1.9 million hectares of forest on Sumatra, Borneo, and Papua islands. The resulting thick toxic haze has spread to neighboring countries including Malaysia, Timor-Leste, and Singapore.
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Source:cna