The awful cost of bushfires: (with condolences to the victims). Updated: 16:51, Thursday October 24, 2013 skyNEWS.au The body of a pilot whose plane crashed as he tried to fight the NSW bushfires remains in remote wilderness after fire prevented rescuers from recovering his body. Police say it is too dangerous for rescue crews to retrieve the 43-year-old pilot, who crashed his plane on Wednesday morning trying to put out a blaze in bushland in the states south. The pilot became the second casualty of the NSW bushfires when his fixed-wing waterbomber crashed in remote bushland west of Ulladulla. The unnamed pilot, a father from Trangie in central NSW, was responding to several blazes in the Budawang National Park when his plane went down. After several attempts, helicopter crews were able to winch personnel down to the crash site and confirm the pilot had died. But flames and fierce winds in the rugged bushland forced them to retreat before they could recover his body. Superintendent Joe Cassar from Shoalhaven Local Area Command said the situation was extremely challenging for rescuers, who tried their best in the most difficult of circumstances. He said crews now faced the daunting task of waiting until first light before they could attempt to reach the pilot again, but wouldnt stop until he was returned to his family. It is far too dangerous to send any personnel down there to retrieve the pilot, Supt Cassar told reporters in Nowra on Wednesday. As soon as the conditions are in our favour we will retrieve that pilot. Supt Cassar could not confirm reports one of the planes wings was torn off, but said the crash was believed to have sparked another smaller fire. Its not known whether the pilot was a Rural Fire Service (RFS) member or contracted by the service to help with the states bushfire crisis. The mans family had been informed, and police were continuing to liaise closely with them. Supt Cassar said everyone would be thinking about the pilots family, who had lost a husband and a father. He said the mans death was also hit home for all those trying to fight bushfires across the state. Its not only tough for the individuals colleagues, its tough for everybody involved in this firefighting operation, Supt Cassar said. That is the nature of the business, and the risks that are associated with this sort of response. RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said the mans death will affect firefighters as well as the mans family. Its a tragedy for the fire fighting community, but first and foremost its a tragedy for this mans family, Mr Fitzsimmons said. Hes a husband with young children and were all acutely aware that theres a family suffering today because their dad didnt come home. Premier Barry OFarrell offered his condolences to the pilots family and friends, saying his death highlights the danger all emergency personnel and volunteers faced every day while protecting the community. They put themselves in danger on our behalf and we are all truly grateful, he said in a statement. This loss will be a particular blow to the brave men and women who have worked so hard saving property and protecting lives during this crisis. Police are preparing an investigation for the NSW Coroner.
Posted on: Thu, 24 Oct 2013 07:36:05 +0000
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