MARIPOSA COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) — First responders and community members gathered Monday in Mariposa County to honor two helicopter pilots who were killed while helping fight the Dome Fire in Yosemite National Park.
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the crash occurred Sunday afternoon. On Monday, crews recovered the pilots and flew them into Mariposa Airport, where representatives from several agencies across California gathered to pay their respects.
“This is our family,” said Benjamin through tears. “So, we’ve lost family members.”
“The wildland fire service, we’re a family, and this is our chance to say goodbye,” he added.
The pilots were contracted by California Incident Management Team 3 to assist with firefighting operations on the Dome Fire, which entered its sixth day of burning Monday.
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Firefighting contractor FlyPrecision also mourned the loss in an Instagram post, writing in part: “It is with unimaginable sadness and broken hearts that we share the loss of two beloved members of our team,” and, “We are devastated by this loss and are struggling to find the words.”
According to officials, the crew was flying a Type One helicopter and was gathering water from Ostrander Lake before the aircraft went down near the northeast end of the fire.
“Those are helicopters that are capable of doing the heaviest amount of lifting. They can carry the largest amount of water on our fire,” Benjamin said.
Meanwhile, firefighters continue battling the Dome Fire in difficult conditions.
“This is some extremely rugged, steep, mountainous terrain that we are working in, which is making it extremely challenging for our firefighters to get to,” Benjamin said.
The fire was not threatening any buildings or infrastructure as of Monday, though crews were monitoring the northern edge of the blaze as it approached road systems.
“We all took, as a family, we took a moment, but then everybody is back out there, up on those mountains, fighting that fire,” he said.
The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation into the helicopter crash. Investigators said a team will travel to the scene when conditions allow, and a preliminary report is expected within 30 days.
For news updates, follow Vincent Camarillo on Instagram.
