Two crew members were killed when a firefighting helicopter crashed during operations against the Dome Fire in Yosemite National Park on Sunday afternoon.
The Valiair (operated by Precision Helicopters) Aerospatiale AS332L1 Super Puma registered N332N went down shortly before 15:00 while supporting ground crews in steep and rugged terrain, according to the US Federal Aviation Administration. The victims have not yet been publicly identified.
Aerospace company Precision confirmed that the two people aboard were members of its team. The twin-engined helicopter, manufactured in 1994, had been involved in the firefighting operation since the blaze began and was first tracked over the fire at 09:38 on Sunday.
The Dome Fire, which started on Tuesday north of Wawona Dome, had burned more than 3,000 acres and was 15% contained by Monday. Water-dropping helicopters had played a crucial role in supporting firefighters on the ground.
Weather observations around the time of the accident indicated increasing cloud cover and light southerly to south-westerly winds. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board have opened an investigation into the cause of the crash.