Paramedics said the accident was “non-survivable”.
Three people were killed in Australia when a small plane fighting a fire crashed near Mount Isa in northwestern Queensland.according to 9 news, The incident occurred on Saturday afternoon. Emergency crews were called to action after a firefighting jet fell into difficult terrain near Mount Isa. “The three occupants of the vehicle have been located and confirmed deceased,” a Queensland Police spokesperson said in a statement.
according to 9 news, Mt Isa police and a rescue helicopter were initially dispatched to the crash scene, which police said was in difficult terrain. Police arrived at the scene in the evening and confirmed that the three firefighters on board the plane were dead. Paramedics said the accident was “non-survivable”.
Following the incident, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) released a statement expressing its deepest condolences to the families of the passengers and crew. They also confirmed the aircraft had been contracted to support the bushfire response in Queensland.
according to ABC AustraliaThe small aircraft was redeploying from Toowoomba to Mount Isa to carry out line scans and infrared mapping at the time of the crash. Police believe the crews were mapping areas of recent bushfires in western Queensland and collecting vital topographical data for use in bushfire emergencies.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said in a statement the state was shocked. “I was very saddened to hear that a firefighter lost his life when a plane crashed northwest of McKinley,” she said, according to the newspaper. “The crew of this aircraft have done everything in their power to keep Queenslanders safe. Our deepest sympathies go out to the many people affected by this shocking incident,” she added.
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Separately, the Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese He also expressed his condolences to the families of the victims. “So saddened that three brave souls lost their lives in Queensland while working to help their fellow Australians,” he said on Twitter. “This is a tragic reminder of the dangers faced by those on the frontline of bushfires. Our hearts go out to their loved ones and colleagues at this time of grief.”
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is now planning to launch its own investigation into the incident. “A team of transport safety investigators from ATSB’s Brisbane office with experience in aircraft operation and maintenance is preparing to be dispatched to the accident scene,” a spokesperson said. In addition, the Forensic Crash Unit will also investigate the crash on behalf of the coroner.
