Crews in Turkey search for helicopter that crashed into lake while fighting forest fire
3 remain unaccounted for after the helicopter crashed in the Tahtali dam of western Turkey
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Underwater teams are searching a lake for a helicopter that crashed over the weekend while fighting a forest fire in western Turkey, state media reported Monday.
Four crew members were aboard the firefighting aircraft when it fell into the waters of the Tahtali dam while battling a blaze in Izmir’s Menderes district.
One pilot, a national of Kyrgyzstan, swam to safety following the accident late Saturday. Three other crew – a Turk and two Kyrgyz personnel – remain unaccounted for.
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Smoke rises from a forest fire in the Menderes district of Izmir, Turkey, on Sep. 17, 2023. Three passengers of a helicopter that crashed into a lake while fighting the forest fire remain missing. The pilot of the aircraft was able to swim to safety. (Lokman Ilhan/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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The search resumed Monday following Sunday's unsuccessful efforts, state-run Anadolu news agency said. The night vision-equipped helicopter, which was collecting water to drop on the flames when it crashed, is reported to be stuck in mud 36 feet below the surface.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The fire was extinguished Sunday. Summer wildfires are common in Turkey, where dry vegetation and high temperatures and winds create ideal conditions for deadly blazes.