The Smart Marty Sky Dispatch
Two Australians survive helicopter crash in Indonesia while fighting wildfires
The crash injured two Australian pilots and sparked a search for a third crew member.
Two Australians survive a helicopter crash in Indonesia, according to authorities, with the two pilots receiving medical treatment after the aircraft went down on Sunday in South Kalimantan province. Rescuers are continuing to search for a third crew member who is an Indonesian citizen and was aboard the same aircraft.
The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) said an 18-member rescue team has been deployed to locate the missing crew member near the Barito River, where the helicopter is believed to have crashed. The incident occurred as Indonesian authorities battle widespread wildfires in the region.
Indonesia is experiencing its worst wildfires in a decade, with firefighting assistance also being provided by Australia. The fires have been burning primarily on Borneo and Sumatra since July and have been worsened by a severe El Niño weather pattern, according to the Indonesian government.
Contributing factors to the fires include land clearance using fire and water shortages that have hampered firefighting efforts, with toxic haze and smoke impacting neighboring countries and drifting as far as the Philippines. The rescue operation and ongoing firefighting campaign are connected through the broader context of these ongoing fires.