Helicopter crash kills pilot and crew member amid Utah wildfire battle

Utah wildfire response continues despite loss of helicopter crew, with containment standing at 24 percent. A pilot and one crew member have been confirmed dead after their firefighting helicopter crashed while battling a massive wildfire in central Utah. The Sikorsky S-64 ‘Skycrane’, operated by Helicopter Transport Services under contract with the United States Forest Service, went down about 10am local time on Friday (16:00 GMT) near Richfield, in the Three Creeks Reservoir area southwest of the city, close to the southeastern edge of the Widemouth 2 fire. The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) confirmed the deaths on Saturday, more than 24 hours after the crash, saying the two crew members were “fatally injured” and extended its “condolences to the friends and family of the deceased”. In a situation report, the NIFC said extreme fire conditions and steep terrain had kept rescue teams from reaching the wreckage.

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