Indonesian Firefighting Helicopter Crash Under Investigation as Wildfires Continue to Rage

According to Berton SP Panjaitan, spokesperson for Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), the helicopter had regularly supported disaster response missions across Indonesia, including operations in Banjarmasin, Pontianak, and Surabaya.

“The relevant team is currently on stand-by in the field, and a complete report detailing the chronology and exact cause of the accident is being compiled for immediate release to the public and authorities,” Panjaitan said.

Flight tracking data reportedly showed the helicopter departing Banjarmasin, the capital of South Kalimantan, before heading toward fire-affected areas shortly before the crash.

The incident comes only days after another tragic helicopter accident in Central Kalimantan, where three Indonesian crew members were killed when a separate water-bombing helicopter crashed while loading water for firefighting operations.

Indonesia is currently facing one of its worst wildfire seasons in recent years, with extensive fires burning across Kalimantan on the island of Borneo, as well as in Sumatra and Papua.

Many of the fires are occurring on peatland, which presents unique firefighting challenges because underground embers can continue burning for extended periods, making fires difficult to detect and extinguish completely.

According to environmental monitoring organisation Nusantara Atlas, satellite data indicates that more than 1.9 million hectares of land had burned across Indonesia by September this year.

Indonesia’s Environment Ministry has reported that more than 100,000 personnel have been deployed nationwide to combat the fires, reflecting the scale of the crisis and the threat posed to communities, biodiversity, and air quality across the region.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the latest helicopter crash while emergency crews continue efforts to contain the widespread blazes.