BARITO KUALA, South Kalimantan — An Australian and a New Zealander survived after a firefighting helicopter plunged into a river on Indonesia’s Borneo island on Sunday, November 8, while a third crew member from Indonesia was found dead following a search operation.
The Super Puma helicopter, registered VH-HGM, crashed into the Barito River near Tabatan village in Kuripan district, Barito Kuala regency, while collecting water to fight forest and land fires.
The two survivors were identified as Australian pilot Michael John Betteridge and New Zealander Hugh Andrew John Page. Both were rescued from the river and received medical treatment at an Indonesian Air Force hospital.
Their Indonesian colleague, Yayan Supyansuri, who served as a Helicopter Landing Officer, was initially reported missing before rescuers recovered his body later that evening.
The head of the Banjarmasin Search and Rescue Office, I Putu Sudayana, said the body was recovered at approximately 6:08 p.m. local time.
Helicopter Crashed During Firefighting Mission
The privately owned helicopter had been contracted by Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) to support aerial firefighting operations.
Video footage circulating online showed the aircraft flying low over the river and collecting water using a suspended bucket before losing altitude and plunging into the water.
Local residents helped rescue the two surviving crew members shortly after the crash.
A joint search and rescue operation involving Basarnas, disaster management officials, military personnel, police and local volunteers was launched to locate the missing Indonesian crew member.
BNPB initially reported that all three crew members had survived. The agency later corrected its account, confirming that only two had been rescued alive.
Authorities have not established the cause of the crash.
BNPB said it would cooperate with an official investigation and conduct a comprehensive review of the safety of its aerial firefighting operations.
The review will examine aircraft readiness, water-bombing procedures, crew fitness and qualifications, weather conditions and the characteristics of operating locations.
The agency said ground-based firefighting efforts would continue while the deployment of aerial assets was reassessed.
Second Fatal Helicopter Crash in Five Days
The accident came just four days after an Indonesian Army Mi-17V5 helicopter crashed during a separate firefighting mission near Tanjung Puting National Park in Central Kalimantan on November 4.
Three Indonesian military personnel were killed in that crash, while five others survived.
Both helicopters were involved in operations to combat forest and land fires, although authorities have not established any connection between the two accidents.
Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed that it was providing consular assistance to an Australian rescued from the Barito River crash.
New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it was aware of the incident and that its embassy in Jakarta was making further inquiries.
The accidents occurred as Indonesia continued battling widespread forest and land fires, including in Kalimantan, Sumatra and Papua, where aerial water-bombing operations have been used to support firefighters on the ground.
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