(LEAD) 1 pilot killed in firefighting helicopter crash in Daegu

▲ A search operation is conducted at a helicopter crash site in the southeastern city of Daegu on April 6, 2025. (Yonhap)

(LEAD) helicopter-crash

(LEAD) 1 pilot killed in firefighting helicopter crash in Daegu

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DAEGU, April 6 (Yonhap) -- A firefighting helicopter crashed Sunday while battling a wildfire in the southeastern city of Daegu, killing the pilot aboard, the fire service said.

The helicopter went down on a mountain in a northwestern district of Daegu, about 230 kilometers southeast of Seoul, at 3:41 p.m., according to firefighting authorities.

The helicopter had been deployed to help extinguish a fire in the Seobyeon-dong area, which had erupted earlier that afternoon. However, the aircraft crashed about 100 meters away from the wildfire scene, according to fire service reports.

The helicopter involved in the crash was a 44-year-old Bell 206L model, as confirmed by the Daegu Dong-gu Office.

Law enforcement and relevant authorities are planning to investigate the exact cause of the crash, including questioning witnesses, once the site has been secured and the recovery operation completed.

The incident comes just days after another firefighting helicopter, also with one pilot aboard, crashed while battling a large wildfire in Uiseong County, located in the southeastern region. The crash on March 26 also resulted in the death of the pilot.

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