Crew member missing as Indonesian water-bombing helicopter crashes

A firefighting helicopter crashed into the Barito River in South Kalimantan on Sunday while scooping water for a water-bombing operation. Two Australian crew members survived and were safe, while an Indonesian crew member remained missing.

The crash is the second in days involving an Indonesian firefighting helicopter, amid blazes across Sumatra, Borneo and Papua that have caused haze to reach neighbouring countries. The contracted Eurocopter EC225LP Super Puma appeared to lose control after filling its bucket; the fires have burned more than 1.9 million hectares, with drought linked partly to a strong El Niño.