9 believed dead, 4 injured in firefighter helicopter crash

9 believed dead, 4 injured in firefighter helicopter crash
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Helicopter carrying 11 firefighters, two crewmen crashes in California, officials say

Nine people missing and presumed dead

Firefighters had been assigned to battle wildfires

Forest Service spokeswoman: Injured four -- including pilot -- hospitalized
(CNN) -- Nine people were missing and presumed dead and four were hospitalized Wednesday after a helicopter carrying firefighters crashed the night before in northern California, aviation spokesmen said.


A Sikorsky S-61 similar to this crashed in California while carrying firefighters assigned to battle wildfires.

The Sikorsky S-61 helicopter had entered a remote area to pick up firefighters battling wildfires, said Ian Gregor of the Federal Aviation Administration. The crash happened about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, 35 miles northwest of Redding in the Trinity-Alps Wilderness Area.

Two crew members and 11 firefighters were aboard, Gregor said. Three of the injured were contract firefighters, and the fourth was the pilot, said Sharon Heywood, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Forest Service.
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