Horrific news to report out of Australia where a tanker operated by Coulson Aviation has crashed while assisting in the Australia wildfires, killing the three U.S. firefighters on board:
A firefighting aircraft has crashed, killing the three people on board. The C-134 tanker was looking for fires in the New South Wales Snowy Mountains. https://t.co/VZ3A1cpmr5 #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/PmupmgG8CT
— 7NEWS Brisbane (@7NewsBrisbane) January 23, 2020
This is awful:
Deeply saddened to learn of the death of 3 people in the crash of a C130 fire fighting aircraft, north east of Cooma in NSW earlier today. My deepest condolences to the loved ones, friends and colleagues of those who have lost their lives. Such a terrible tragedy.
— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) January 23, 2020
On behalf of AFAC and the National Aerial Fire Fighting Centre (NAFC), we offer our sincere condolences to the families of the crew of the Large Air Tanker that crashed in NSW. Thoughts are with all our emergency service colleagues #nswfires https://t.co/dpdsSgLdy6
— AFAC (@AFACnews) January 23, 2020
More details here:
#Thread #NSWfires :Another difficult day in the #AustralianFires story.This #planecrash is a reminder of how dangerous conditions are for those fighting these relentless blazes in #Australia-the firefighters on the ground+those helping them from the sky.
Here's what we know…— shaimaa khalil BBC (@Shaimaakhalil) January 23, 2020
+The large air tanker was fighting a blaze in the Snowy Monaro area south of #Canberra which was burning out of control with heavy smoke and low visibility.
+Contact was lost when the plane went off the radar in the Cooma area southern #NSW.#NSWfires #planecrash— shaimaa khalil BBC (@Shaimaakhalil) January 23, 2020
+Now confirmed – the large air tanker -on loan from North America-crashed and the 3 US crew members described as "experienced and well known" died.
+The water bomber had a 15000 litre capacity+could off load large amounts of water+cover big areas.
#NSWbushfires #planecrash— shaimaa khalil BBC (@Shaimaakhalil) January 23, 2020
+You really can't overstate the importance of these water bombers (planes or helicopters) to the firefighting efforts on the ground. They've been crucial in containing massive blazes in this catastrophic #Bushfire season in #Australia…#BushFireCrisisAustralia #AustraliaOnFire
— shaimaa khalil BBC (@Shaimaakhalil) January 23, 2020
All tanker operation are now reportedly suspended:
+All large air tanker operations suspended as police investigated cause of the crash.
+70 fires burning in #NSW 44 not contained.
+#NSW premier @GladysB said flags will fly at half mast out of respect for those who died in the #planecrash #auspol #BushFireCrisisAustralia— shaimaa khalil BBC (@Shaimaakhalil) January 23, 2020
Tanker 134 was a fixture in the skies over California fighting wildfires in the state:
Coulson Tanker 134 making it's final flight of the night. Video courtesy of KTVU FOX 2 News Live#KincadeFire @CALFIRELNU #SonomaCounty #Windsor #Healdsburg pic.twitter.com/5SP9FkParg
— Dave Toussaint (@engineco16) October 27, 2019
RIP, heroes:
Sadness in the firefighting community tonight, condolences to family, friends and coworkers. They were in Sonoma County this past summer. Tanker 134 went down in Snowy Monaro in NSW, with reports of no survivors. pic.twitter.com/xSpMkmPmlg
— Kent Porter (@kentphotos) January 23, 2020
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