(CNN) The three Americans who died fighting an Australian bushfire from the air have been identified by their employer, Oregon-based Coulson Aviation.
The three are – year-old Capt. Ian McBeth of Great Falls, Montana, who was piloting the downed C – 200 plane; First Officer Paul Clyde Hudson, age 42, of Buckeye, Arizona; and -year-old Flight Engineer Rick DeMorgan Jr., who lived in Navarre, Florida, Coulson said in a statement.
“The aviation industry and emergency service sector is a small community both in Australia and around the world, “Coulson said. “This will be deeply felt by all.”
All three men were veterans of the US military, Coulson said.
- The cause of the crash is not yet known.
A government official in Australia said the water tanker plane had been chartered by the New South Wales Rural Fire Service.
The crew had been on a firebombing mission in the state of New South Wales, where fires are still burning out of control , when the accident occurred, Coulson said earlier.
According to the New South Wales Rural Fire Service Commissioner, Shane Fitzsimmons, contact was lost with the C – (water-bombing plane shortly before 1: pm local time on Thursday.
Fires have been burning in New South Wales for months, and the US and other countries have been lending firefighting assistance and personnel.
- The US said Wednesday it’s sending two more 23 – person crews, only days after sending air support personnel and other emergency management teams.
National Interagency Fire Center . 
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