Friday, March 29, 2024
spot_img

3 US firefighters killed in Aus identified

Date:

Share post:

spot_img
spot_img

Sydney, Jan 24 (IANS) Australian authorities on Friday revealed the identities of the three US firefighters who died when their air tanker crashed while battling blazes in New South Wales (NSW) state.

Captain Ian McBeth, 45, first officer Paul Clyde Hudson, 43, and flight engineer Rick A DeMorgan Jr, 44, were killed, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said, while calling the deaths an “unbelievable loss” and offered a state memorial, reports the BBC.

Fitzsimmons said the experienced and “well known” crew had been contracted to Australia to help fight the unprecedented bushfires.

The state government ordered flags to be flown at half-mast on Friday, in tribute to the three men.

Officials lost contact with the C-130 Hercules plane, owned by Canadian firefighting company Coulson Aviation, shortly before 1.30 p.m., on Thursday.

It crashed in an active fire zone in the Snowy Mountains, south of Canberra, said the NSW Rural Fire Service.

The cause of the crash is yet to be determined.

In another fire-hit state, Victoria, the Country Fire Authority (CFA) tweeted its thanks to US firefighters who had just arrived on deployment, said the BBC report.

Since September 2019, Australia has battled a bushfire crisis which has now killed at least 33 people.

More than 70 bushfires were still raging across NSW alone.

Fires in southern Australia are expected to peak in February and continue into April.

spot_img
spot_img

Related articles

Adah Sharma’s fitness mantra: Workouts should always be fun, best with friends

Shillong, March 29: Actress Adah Sharma, who is a practitioner of weapon-based martial art Silambam, has shared the...

Delhi HC to examine Google’s Advertising terms for legal remedies in India

Shillong, March 29: The Delhi High Court has said that it will examine whether the terms of Google’s...

Salman’s update on ‘Dabangg 4′: ‘Jaise hi dono bhai ek script mein lock hojayengay’

Shillong, March 29: Bollywood superstar Salman Khan has shared an update on the fourth instalment of his popular...

RBI to shut Rs 2000 banknote exchange facility for a day on April 1

Shillong, March 29: The RBI announced on Thursday that the facility for exchange and deposit of Rs 2000...