Helicopter tackling forest fire crashes into lake while scooping water | News World

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A helicopter fighting a large wildfire in France crashed right into a lake while attempting to choose up water to refill its reservoir.

The dramatic incident occurred above Rosporden Lake shortly after 7 pm yesterday, when a Morane 29 water bomber was scooping water.

The helicopter dropped too quickly, and despite slowing, the tail ended up hitting the water, causing it to spin uncontrolled.

A video filmed and shared by an Instagram user showed the moments leading as much as the crash.

The aircraft had just accomplished a mission against a vegetation fire in Beuzec-Cap-Sizun earlier that day, completing 27 water drops and helping protect a 10-hectare area.

While a fire threatened a house near Rosporden, the helicopter was performing a refilling operation when the accident occurred.

The prefecture of Finistere confirmed that the pilot and the firefighter on board were capable of exit the helicopter on their very own and reach the shore unharmed.

The 2 on board were unharmed and reached shore safely (Picture: NewsX)

Witnesses described how quickly the helicopter ended up within the water, with one bystander, David, saying all of it happened in lower than 10 seconds.

David recalled: ‘It dipped way too low and was descending fast. I believed it was going to blow up, break into pieces. Once it flipped, it went in all directions.’

Local authorities praised the professionalism, composure, and courage of the pilot and the onboard firefighter.

They added: ‘This accident reminds us that each day, firefighters in Finistere, and people who work alongside them, risk their lives to save lots of people and protect property.’

An investigation has been launched to find out the precise circumstances that caused the helicopter to strike the water and crash.

Meanwhile, the helicopter has been replaced by one other aircraft to make sure the continuity of firefighting operations at the top of the summer season.

This photograph taken on August 7, 2025 and released by the S??curit?? civile shows firefighters on a filed next to a French Army helicopter during an operation to extinguish a wildfire raging in the department of Aude, near Jonquieres, in the south of France. France's biggest wildfire this summer has been brought under control, authorities said on August 7, 2025, after it killed one person and destroyed thousands of hectares of land and dozens of homes in the south. Around 2,000 firefighters were mobilised in France's southern Aude department to contain the blaze that started Tuesday. Thirteen people have been injured, two of them seriously (Photo by Handout / S??curit?? civile / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT
France has been coping with an uptick in wildfires this summer (Picture: AFP)

Wildfires have been raging across much of mainland Europe this summer after multiple heatwaves.

France’s largest wildfire in many years burned across the south of the country, leaving miles of land damaged, local authorities said.

The Aude fire’s rapid spread was fuelled by weeks of hot, dry weather, though cooler temperatures and calmer winds overnight helped barely ease the situation.

It was probably the most significant fire France has faced since 1949, in response to Agnes Pannier-Runacher, France’s minister for ecological transition.

In Greece, 50 fires scorched the suburbs of Athens, forcing the federal government to evacuate residents in July.

Bulgaria is probably the most affected country by fires for 2024-2025 within the EU, with greater than 38,000 square miles affected.

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