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Australia bushfires: Three Americans killed as water-bombing plane crashes while fighting blaze in New South Wales
Three American fire fighters were killed Thursday morning when a water tanker plane crashed in Australia.
At about 2pm local time the New South Wales Rural Fire Service “lost contact” with the crew of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules being used in water bombing operations in the Snowy Monaro area in the state’s south.
The water-bombing aircraft had been leased from North American firm Coulson Aviation as part of a seasonal arrangement with state fire authorities in Australia.
The fire fighters, US residents, were among around 200 American fire fighters who have been deployed in Australia since December.
Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said “initial reports” said there was a “large fireball” when the plane crashed.
Mr Fitzsimmons told a media conference late on Thursday that the cause of the crash is as yet unknown and an Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigation is underway.
While the number of fires in New South Wales had dropped to 60 earlier in the week with cooler conditions and heavy rains, by Thursday more than 80 blazes were raging across the state as hot dry weather and strong winds returned.
The deaths of the fire fighters, who have not yet been publicly identified, brings the death toll of Australia’s wild fire crisis to 32, including seven fire fighters.
The Premier of New South Wales, Gladys Berejiklian, said the deaths were a reminder that “the fire season is far from over”. She also expressed her condolences to the families of the dead.
Scott Morrison, the prime minister, whose father died overnight aged 84, issued a short statement saying he was “deeply saddened to learn of the death of three people in the crash of a C130 fire-fighting aircraft, north east of Cooma in New South Wales earlier today”.
“My deepest condolences to the loved ones, friends and colleagues of those who have lost their lives. Such a terrible tragedy,” he said.
Commissioner Fitzsimmons said the experienced and "well known" crew had been contracted to Australia to help fight the unprecedented bushfires this season.
"Our hearts are with all those that are suffering what is the loss of three remarkable, well respected crew that have invested so many decades of their life into firefighting," he said.
Australia’s fire crisis is expected to continue until April, and authorities fear that February will see the worst weather conditions yet this fire season.