An aerial firefighting helicopter crashed into the Barito River in South Kalimantan on Sunday, November 8, 2026, with all three crew members safely surviving the incident.
The aircraft, a Eurocopter EC225LP Super Puma bearing registration number VH-HGM and manufacturer serial number 2878, went down in the Tabatan Village area of Kuripan District within the Barito Kuala Regency. Operated by a private company under a charter contract with the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, the helicopter was actively engaged in water bombing operations to suppress forest and land fires, according to SCMP.
Fleets such as the Super Puma can support personnel transport as well as air operations depending on configuration and mission requirements.
To combat forest blazes, the chopper dips into approved bodies of water like rivers and lakes to gather its payload, flying the liquid to the affected zone to drop from above and weaken the fire’s strength. Several local eyewitnesses immediately rowed out to the site in small boats to help with the rescue efforts.
Amateur video footage circulated on social media captured the aircraft losing control during maneuvers moments after scooping water from the river using a Bambi bucket.
Three crew members were successfully evacuated and the helicopter unit has been moved to the riverbank,
Berton Panjaitan, a spokesman for the national disaster mitigation agency
Berton SP Panjaitan, Acting Head of the BNPB Disaster Data, Information, and Communication Center, stated that initial reports confirmed the safety of all personnel aboard. BNPB Head Lieutenant General Kristomei Sianturi received preliminary briefings on the accident and directed teams on the ground.
BNPB has received initial reports regarding the incident of a helicopter falling while carrying out water bombing operations in the Barito Kuala area. Based on temporary information, the three crew members who were on board the helicopter were reported to be safe. Currently, the relevant team is still on the ground to handle and gather more information regarding the chronology of the incident,
Berton Panjaitan, a spokesman for the national disaster mitigation agency
The incident arrived four days after an Indonesian Army Mi-17V5 helicopter crashed on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, in the waters off Kuala Pembuang, Sungai Perlu Village, Central Kalimantan, while supporting firefighting efforts in Tanjung Puting National Park. That earlier military crash claimed three lives—Lieutenant Colonel (posthumously) Dudi Firmansyah, Captain (posthumously) Nurhafiz Akbar, and First Sergeant (posthumously) Heri Prasetyo—while five other crew members survived.
Additionally, fire and haze have caused more than 400,000 cases of acute respiratory infections in seven Indonesian provinces as of November 2 according to Health Ministry data. Australia’s New South Wales Rural Fire Service dispatched a C-130 Hercules and a Cessna Citation aircraft to support Indonesia in firefighting operations from November 6 to 12.
The Australian support includes a Large Air Tanker aircraft capable of dropping up to 15,000 litres of water per sortie, with an estimated capacity of up to six sorties per day.
At this moment, the cause of the accident cannot be concluded. We do not want to speculate on the reasons for the incident before an official investigation result is available,
Berton Panjaitan, Acting Head of the BNPB Data, Information, and Communication Center
BNPB announced plans for a broad review of aerial firefighting logistics.
We will conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the safety aspects of air operations,
Berton Panjaitan, Acting Head of the BNPB Data, Information, and Communication Center
The assessment encompasses technical airworthiness, crew competencies, weather constraints, and site-specific environmental factors such as river currents and obstacles.
This includes the procedures for water retrieval and water bombing. The operational site conditions, including river characteristics, water currents, nearby obstacles, and helicopter maneuvering space, will also be considered,
Berton Panjaitan, Acting Head of the BNPB Data, Information, and Communication Center
Authorities will also coordinate directly with commercial operators and aviation regulators.
We will coordinate with the helicopter operator and relevant aviation authorities to ensure that each aircraft used in future operations meets technical and safety requirements,
Berton Panjaitan, Acting Head of the BNPB Data, Information, and Communication Center
Earlier coverage: Two Australians Survive Firefighting Helicopter Crash in Indonesia
