Two Pilots Killed Fighting Utah Wildfire
11 hours ago
Two helicopter pilots have died after their Sikorsky Skycrane crashed while battling a wildfire in Utah’s Fishlake National Forest.
The aircraft went down Friday morning while working under contract with the U.S. Forest Service. Officials initially could not reach the wreckage because of dangerous fire conditions, but crews entered the area Saturday and confirmed both pilots had died.
The crash also ignited a new fire that spread into the existing wildfire, which has now burned nearly 174 square miles, or about 451 square kilometers.
The pilots worked for Helicopter Transport Services. Their identities have not yet been released. The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash, though officials say determining the cause could take a year or longer.
The aircraft went down Friday morning while working under contract with the U.S. Forest Service. Officials initially could not reach the wreckage because of dangerous fire conditions, but crews entered the area Saturday and confirmed both pilots had died.
The crash also ignited a new fire that spread into the existing wildfire, which has now burned nearly 174 square miles, or about 451 square kilometers.
The pilots worked for Helicopter Transport Services. Their identities have not yet been released. The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash, though officials say determining the cause could take a year or longer.
