3 helicopter crew members' bodies found after crash

İZMİR

The lifeless bodies of three personnel missing since a helicopter crashed into the Tahtalı dam while attempting to collect water for firefighting in the western province of İzmir's Menderes district have been located.

The ordeal began when a forest fire ignited near the Keler neighborhood on Sept. 16. Responding to reports of smoke in the area, authorities dispatched a night vision-equipped firefighting helicopter to combat the blaze. The helicopter crashed into the dam under circumstances yet to be determined while attempting to collect water for the firefighting effort.

One occupant of the helicopter, a Kyrgyz national, managed to swim to safety independently and was subsequently transported to a local hospital for medical assessment. Thankfully, the survivor was reported to be in stable condition.

Following operations at the dam on Sept. 17, search and rescue teams identified the submerged wreckage of the helicopter, which was mired in mud at a depth of around 12 meters. Despite deploying rescue balloons, the teams were unsuccessful in their endeavors.

However, on Sept. 18, the discovery of the bodies of the three missing personnel from the ill-fated helicopter marked an end to the search and rescue mission. The deceased crew members consisted of two Kyrgyz and one Turkish national.

Meanwhile, the forest fire in Menderes was brought under control after 20 hours of efforts on the ground. The firefighting operation involved nine planes, 20 helicopters, 54 aerial water tankers, 20 water supply vehicles, 10 dozers, 10 first-response ground crews and a team of 500 personnel.