The firefighting helicopter crashed while battling the Dome Fire in California on Sunday, Sept. 20
Credit: Yosemite National Park/Facebook
NEED TO KNOW
- A helicopter crashed during firefighting efforts for the Dome Fire in Yosemite, killing two crew members on Sunday, Sept. 20
- The pilot was identified as Greg King, who worked for firefighting contractor FlyPrecision
- The Dome Fire has burned over 3,300 acres and was 15 percent contained as of Monday, Sept. 21, according to CAL FIRE
A helicopter working to battle a large wildfire burning in California’s Yosemite National Park crashed over the weekend, killing two people on board.
The Eurocopter AS32 helicopter crashed just before 3 p.m. local time on Sunday, Sept. 20, near the remote community of Mariposa, Calif., located about 70 miles outside Fresno. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed to PEOPLE.
The crash occurred during firefighting operations, and two people were on board, the FAA said.
The helicopter was using a water bucket to help suppress the fire when it went down southeast of Ostrander Lake, a spokesperson with the Federal Complex Incident Management Team overseeing the firefighting response told the Associated Press.
Officials in Yosemite National Park are still battling the Dome Fire, which has burned more than 3,300 acres and was 15% contained as of Monday, Sept. 21, according to CAL FIRE.
Credit: Alaska Department of Natural Resources
Firefighting contractor FlyPrecision confirmed in an Instagram post on Sunday that the aircraft belonged to their team.
“It is with unimaginable sadness and broken hearts that we share the loss of two beloved members of our team,” the post’s caption began. “We are devastated by this loss and are struggling to find the words. Please keep their families, loved ones, and our entire team in your thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time.”
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On Monday, the Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection identified one of the victims in the crash as pilot Greg King.
“King was a cherished member of our wildland fire family, having served on wildland fires in Alaska and extensively alongside the Division of Forestry & Fire Protection,” the agency wrote in a press release, remembering King as a “dedicated aviator and a dear friend to many of us.”
“King’s ties to our agency run deep, with close loved ones currently employed with our Division. The identity of the second pilot is being withheld at this time out of respect for family notifications,” the Division of Forestry and Fire Protection added.
The second victim in the crash has not been publicly identified.
Nearly a week after the Dome Fire first sparked near Wawona, Calif., on Sept. 15, roughly 580 people are still fighting the flames, according to the AP, citing the National Interagency Fire Center.
Ostrander Lake, near the crash site, is located roughly 9 miles south of Yosemite’s iconic El Capitan landmark, and about 7 miles northeast of Wawona.
The FAA and NTSB are set to investigate the crash, with the NTSB leading the investigation, officials said.
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