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Pilots of helicopter that crashed while fighting Utah wildfire confirmed dead, officials say
Officials did not identify the pilots but said they were employed by Helicopter Transport Services, which was contracted by US Forest Service
TL;DR
- Two helicopter pilots were killed when their aircraft crashed while fighting a wildfire in Utah.
- The crash occurred in the Fishlake National Forest and ignited a new fire that merged with the existing blaze.
- The wildfire, known as Widemouth 2, has scorched nearly 174 square miles and was 24% contained.
- The pilots were employed by Helicopter Transport Services, contracted by the US Forest Service.
- Access to the crash site was initially difficult due to the fire, with the deaths confirmed on Saturday.
- The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the cause of the crash.
- Western US states have experienced a deadly wildfire season, with other firefighter fatalities reported in June.