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Two Australians survive helicopter crash in Indonesia while fighting wildfires

SBS News Australia •
November 08, 2026 • 07:17 PM
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The crash injured two Australian pilots and sparked a search for a third crew member.

Two Australians survive helicopter crash in Indonesia while fighting wildfires

Two Australians pilots have survived their fire helicopter crashing in a river in Indonesia on Sunday.

Rescuers are searching for a third crew member, an Indonesian citizen, after the aircraft fell into the Barito River in South Kalimantan province, according to the country's National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB).

The two Australians were receiving medical treatment, the BNPB said.

An 18-member rescue team was sent to search for the missing crew member.

The incident comes as Indonesia experiences its worst wildfires in a decade, with Australia deploying firefighting personnel to help battle the blazes.

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The intense fires, burning mainly on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra , began in July and have been aggravated by a severe El ‌Niño weather pattern, according to the Indonesian government.

Contributing factors also include land clearance using fire, as well as water shortages that have hampered firefighters.

Toxic haze and smoke have caused a health crisis in neighbouring countries, drifting as far as the Philippines, more than 800km away.

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