Firefighting helicopter crashes near Yosemite, killing both pilots

Two helicopter pilots were killed when their aircraft crashed near Yosemite National Park on Sunday afternoon while conducting water drops to suppress a wildfire, officials stated. The pilots were the sole occupants of the Super Puma helicopter, which was employed by the contract aircraft company Precision. The Super Puma was assisting a wildland firefighting crew that specializes in helitack rappelling, a technique involving ropes to descend from helicopters for access to remote terrain.

The crash occurred southeast of Ostrander Lake, according to Benjamin Cossel, a spokesperson for the Federal Complex Incident Management Team overseeing the firefighting effort. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash, as the cause has not been determined. Precision expressed deep sorrow over the loss of two valued team members and requested privacy and compassion for their families during this difficult time.