Updated

Updated · The Guardian · Aug 8

Utah Firefighting Helicopter Crashes With 2 Onboard, Sparking New Blaze Near 105,000-Acre Fire

Updated

Updated · The Guardian · Aug 8

Utah Firefighting Helicopter Crashes With 2 Onboard, Sparking New Blaze Near 105,000-Acre Fire

Q: With rescue crews blocked by extreme fire, what is the fate of the two crew members trapped in the wilderness?

The two crew members were initially unconfirmed, but later reporting indicates both pilots died in the crash. At the time of the initial emergency, rescue teams could not reach the wreckage because active flames, steep terrain and a new fire ignited by the crash made the site too dangerous. Officials said Friday evening that they still had no immediate word on the condition of the two people aboard and were waiting for fire behavior to improve before entering the area. Subsequent reporting identified the aircraft as a Skycrane working the Widemouth 2 Fire and said the crash was followed by a catastrophic post-impact fire. A later incident update stated that two pilots were killed shortly after departing on the aerial firefighting mission. The delay in access appears to have been caused by wildfire conditions rather than uncertainty about whether a crash had occurred. The scene was in remote terrain near Richfield, south of the Widemouth 2 Fire, and responders from local search and rescue, the Forest Service and other agencies were coordinating entry when it became safe enough. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the cause of the crash.

3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Aug 8

Rescuers had not reached the crash site by Friday evening after the Sikorsky S64 went down near Richfield and ignited a new fire, officials said.
Difficult terrain and the fresh blaze slowed access to the wreckage, while the US Forest Service initially withheld the condition of the two people aboard.
The helicopter was operating near the Widemouth 2 fire, a lightning-sparked blaze that has burned 105,000 acres since July 27; firefighters briefly paused, then resumed work.
FAA and NTSB investigators are examining the crash as Utah battles eight large fires that have scorched more than 331,000 acres statewide.