Seven people were killed when a firefighting helicopter crashed in Argentina’s western San Juan province on Wednesday, local officials said. The Bell 412 aircraft, deployed to fight wildfires in Ischigualasto Natural Park, lost contact with its base on Wednesday morning, emergency services reported.
Authorities said those who died included firefighters, police officers and civil protection personnel who were aboard the helicopter. San Juan Governor Marcelo Orrego confirmed the fatalities on the social platform X, writing: “With profound sorrow we received the news of the helicopter accident that occurred in our province, in which seven people sadly lost their lives.”
The helicopter had been en route to neighbouring La Rioja province to assist with efforts to control a wildfire there, a government statement said. Officials added that the causes of the crash are under investigation.
Emergency and investigative teams were dispatched to the area to recover the aircraft and determine the sequence of events leading to the accident, authorities said. The loss underscores the risks faced by crews fighting expanding forest fires in the region.
Original Source: https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/7-killed-in-helicopter-crash-in-argentina-officials-11840494#publisher=newsstand
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Publish Date: 2026-07-30 02:40:00
