Helicopter crashes into Barito River during firefighting mission
A Super Puma H-225 transport helicopter crashed into the Barito River in South Kalimantan on Sunday, leaving one Indonesian crew member missing, ANTARA News reported.
The aircraft, registered as VH-HGM, was engaged in a mission to combat forest and land fires when the incident occurred near Tabatan Village in the Kuripan Sub-district. While two Australian pilots survived the crash and have received medical treatment, the third crew member, Indonesian Helicopter Landing Officer (HLO) Yayan Supyansuri, remains missing.
Search and rescue operations are currently underway to locate the missing officer. The Banjarmasin Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) deployed a team of 18 personnel at 1:10 p.m. local time to lead the effort. This mission involves a large-scale mobilization, including the Indonesian Air Force, the National Police, village-level military officers (Babinsa), and local residents combing the river corridor.
Back-to-back aerial disasters in Kalimantan
This incident is the second catastrophic aerial firefighting accident in the Kalimantan provinces in less than a week. The timing highlights the extreme risks faced by aircrews battling the region’s severe peat fires. Just four days prior, on a Wednesday, a fatal military aviation accident occurred involving Indonesian Army Aviation (Penerbad), which resulted in the deaths of three personnel, according to InvestorTrust.
A Super Puma helicopter chartered by Indonesia’s disaster management agency (BNPB) crashed into the Barito River in South Kalimantan while conducting water-bombing operations against forest fires. All three crew members were reported safe, while the incident followed another… pic.twitter.com/VWd33vd26H
The frequency of these accidents has pressured civil aviation regulators and defense authorities. Officials are now facing questions regarding operational risk thresholds, particularly when crews must operate in hazardous smoke haze and difficult water-scooping conditions.
BNPB prioritizes missing crew search and survivor medical care
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has identified several immediate priorities following the Sunday crash. Beyond locating the missing crew member, the agency is focused on ensuring the surviving pilots receive necessary medical care and securing the helicopter wreckage located along the riverbank.
“We want to stress that this incident does not diminish the government’s commitment to continuing efforts to tackle forest and land fires,” said Berton SP Panjaitan, acting head of BNPB’s Disaster Data, Information, and Communication Center.
In response to the mounting losses, the BNPB has announced a comprehensive safety evaluation of all aerial operations. This audit will scrutinize fleet technical readiness, water-bombing and water-scooping procedures, crew fitness, weather conditions, and specific site characteristics. Authorities have also committed to facilitating an official investigation to determine the exact cause of the crash and prevent public speculation.
The human cost of the wildfire crisis
The accidents come as Indonesia grapples with one of its most severe wildfire crises in recent years. Prolonged droughts, driven by regional climate anomalies, have ignited sprawling peatland fires that are notoriously difficult to suppress. The strain on the nation’s disaster containment machinery is becoming increasingly visible as hotspots persist.
The human impact of these missions is already being felt by military families. ANTARA Foto reported on the funeral of Sertu (Posthumous) Heri Prasetyo, a member of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) who died in a separate water-bombing helicopter accident while fighting fires in Central Kalimantan.
His body was returned to his family in Gandusari District, Trenggalek, East Java, where he was buried with honors at the Trenggalek Heroes Cemetery (TMP) in recognition of his service.
As search teams continue to work the Barito River, the dual challenge of containing the spreading fires and ensuring the safety of the crews tasked with stopping them remains a central tension for the Indonesian government.
🚨 SECOND HELICOPTER CRASH IN INDONESIA IN JUST FOUR DAYS! On November 8, a BNPB-operated Airbus Helicopters H225 Super Puma crashed into the Barito River while collecting water for firefighting operations in South Kalimantan. Local residents helped rescue two crew members.…
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Firefighting Helicopter Crashes Into Barito River In Indonesia A helicopter involved in firefighting operations crashed into the Barito River while collecting water to combat forest fires in South Kalimantan, Indonesia. The Airbus Helicopters H225, reportedly operated by the… pic.twitter.com/uOsw9h67OM
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