Water bombing aircraft crash kills pilot and starts new bush fire

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The pilot of a Rural Fire Service (RFS) aircraft was killed when his plane crashed as it tried to extinguish bushfires in New South Wales, Australia.

The incident took place 40 km west of Ulladulla, near Braidwood.

The water bombing plane was involved in firefighting operations when a wing reportedly snapped off the plane, causing the crash.

According to reports, a new fire broke out as a result of the incident. Crews, including a rescue helicopter, are still responding to the scene.

"It has taken us some time to get the rescue personnel winched down and of course the priority of this response was to ensure the safety of the pilot," Superintendent Joe Cassart, the Shoalhaven local area commander, said during a press conference.

"One of the big challenge in regards to that task was the winds in the area at that time. But their efforts were certainly successful in getting a member of the ambulance rescue squad down there," he said.

"It was at that point that they confirmed that the male was in fact deceased, they then retracted the ambulance personnel officer and certainly not in a position to go down there because of the impeding weather conditions."

The pilot has now been identified as 43-years-old David Black, from Trangie, in the Central West.

According to local reports, Black, who leaves three young children behind, was the owner of Rebel Agricultural, the company which had been contracted to help the RFS with water bombing activities.

His family and his colleagues have already been notified of his death by police.

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