A Working On Fire helicopter has crashed‚ killing one person‚ in the Vermaaklikheid area of the Garden Route.
The accident occurred while the helicopter was fighting fires that have raged since the weekend.
Linton Rensburg‚ communications manager at Working on Fire‚ said the Huey helicopter crashed around 9:45am but said “the cause of the accident is not yet known”.
According to the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM)‚ the fire has been deemed out of control. Officials warn that approximately 100 buildings‚ including thatched roof farm houses and other infrastructure‚ are at risk of becoming engulfed in the blaze.
One dead after firefighting helicopter crashes in the Cape
Image: Supplied
A Working On Fire helicopter has crashed‚ killing one person‚ in the Vermaaklikheid area of the Garden Route.
The accident occurred while the helicopter was fighting fires that have raged since the weekend.
Linton Rensburg‚ communications manager at Working on Fire‚ said the Huey helicopter crashed around 9:45am but said “the cause of the accident is not yet known”.
According to the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM)‚ the fire has been deemed out of control. Officials warn that approximately 100 buildings‚ including thatched roof farm houses and other infrastructure‚ are at risk of becoming engulfed in the blaze.
No evacuations are currently in place but the GRDM say that “the community is well aware of the danger”.
Western Cape minister of local government‚ environmental affairs and development planning‚ Anton Bredell‚ said in a statement the helicopter had crashed during firefighting operations and confirmed there had been one fatality.
“The family‚ friends and the community of firefighters are in our thoughts at this time‚” he said.
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