One killed in Indonesia helicopter crash during firefighting operation

One person lost their life when a helicopter plummeted into a river in Indonesia while battling wildfires in South Kalimantan. The Indonesian crew member was the sole fatality, whereas the other two individuals – an Australian and a New Zealander – were recovered safe and are receiving medical attention at a hospital, according to the country's disaster mitigation agency.

The aftermath of the accident is under investigation, but the agency has confirmed it will continue its firefighting operations. Indonesia has been grappling with frequent wildfires for months, which have blanketed much of Southeast Asia in hazardous haze. These blazes, fueled by a dry season worsened by El Niño, have scorched vast areas of forests and peatlands.

A video posted by Indonesia's disaster authorities, which has gone viral on social media, shows the helicopter hovering above the river with a helicopter bucket before it crashed into the water. Rescuers later retrieved the partially submerged helicopter using a boat. The deceased crew member has been identified as Yayan Supyansuri.

The two survivors are Michael John Betterridge, an Australian national, and Hugh Andrew John Page, a New Zealander. The helicopter that crashed was a Super Puma H-225 owned by a company contracted by the Indonesian disaster authorities for the firefighting operations. This incident occurred shortly after another helicopter crashed in central Kalimantan, resulting in the deaths of three crew members.

The military had managed to retrieve the crashed helicopter's black box, which will aid their investigation into the cause of the crash. Despite the extensive firefighting efforts, the Indonesian wildfires this year have proven particularly challenging to control due to the intensified El Niño and ongoing drought conditions. The relentless wildfires have produced toxic smog that has enveloped cities in Indonesia, turning the air yellow and triggering a surge in respiratory illnesses across the islands of Kalimantan and Sumatra.

The haze has also drifted to neighboring Malaysia and Singapore, raising public health concerns. Foreign governments have offered assistance to support Indonesia's firefighting efforts, including Australia which has deployed aircraft and 20 personnel including pilots and paramedics.