Crew member missing as Indonesian water-bombing helicopter crashes

A firefighting helicopter battling Indonesian wildfires crashed into a river on Sunday, leaving one crew member unaccounted for, according to an official. The incident occurred on Borneo Island's South Kalimantan province, marking the second such crash involving a firefighting helicopter in just days. Two Australian nationals were rescued safely, while the third crew member, an Indonesian, remained missing.

Dramatic footage showed the helicopter being pulled downward after filling its bucket from the Barito River, before nose-diving into the water. Indonesia has been grappling with extensive wildfires across Sumatra, Borneo, and Papua islands, causing hazardous haze that reached neighboring Malaysia, East Timor, and Singapore. The helicopter involved in Sunday's crash was operated by a company contracted by the disaster mitigation agency for water-bombing operations.

The Southeast Asian nation has heavily relied on air operations, including firefighting helicopters, to combat the blazes, which have scorched over 1.9 million hectares. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.