Two members of a helicopter crew were killed Sunday after their aircraft crashed while taking part in firefighting operations at Yosemite National Park in California, according to the US Forest Service. The helicopter was assisting crews battling the Dome Fire, which has burned more than 3,000 acres in the park.According to CNN, the Eurocopter AS32 went down shortly before 3 pm PT in Mariposa County. The Federal Aviation Administration said two people were aboard the aircraft, and both were killed in the crash. The identities of the victims have not yet been released.
Fly Precision confirms crew members’ deaths
Aerospace company Precision, also known online as Fly Precision, confirmed that two of its crew members died in the crash. The company expressed grief over the deaths and asked for privacy and compassion for the families and its team.The crew had been contracted to the Forest Service’s Price Valley Rappel Crew in Idaho, while the pilots were conducting suppression operations on the Dome Fire in Yosemite, according to Forest Service spokesperson Adrienne Freeman.The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash. The NTSB said its investigators would travel to the site when fire conditions allow and that a preliminary report is expected within 30 days.The Dome Fire, which started on September 15, has continued to spread across Yosemite. It grew by 283 acres overnight, according to the National Park Service, and was reported at more than 3,000 acres with 15% containment.Fire crews have been using both ground and aerial resources to contain the blaze, with helicopters supporting firefighters through water drops, transportation and other operations.
