Three Americans have died after a US-owned water tanker plane crashed in a fireball while fighting bushfires in New South Wales.
All three of the C – Hercules plane’s crew were killed when it went down in Australia’s alpine region, Australian authorities said.
The state’s Rural Fire Services Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons, said: “Tragically, there appears to be no survivors as a result of the crash down in the Snowy Monaro area.
“[The tanker] impacted heavily with the ground and initial reports are that there was a large fireball associated with the impact of the plane as it hit the ground. There is no indication at this stage of what’s caused the accident. “
Rural Fire Service (RFS) officials said the plane, which was operated by Coulson Aviation from the US state of Oregon, was carrying out waterbombing activities before it went down.
Coulson, which will send a team to the crash site to help the emergency operations, confirmed the plane was on a firebombing mission
to battle bushfires and was carrying a load of retardant.
In a short statement, the firm said: “The accident is reported to be extensive and we are deeply saddened to confirm there were three fatalities.”
The RFS added that they lost contact with the aircraft and the flight tracker stopped and the scene has been cordoned off by police.
A witness, hotel receptionist Belinda Greene, from Bredbo, 130 (miles km) south of Canberra, said she heard police cars racing by in the early afternoon and “saw a lot of smoke all of a sudden”.
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings