Water-bombing helicopter crashes in Australia, pilot dead

SYDNEY - A pilot in Australia was killed after his firefighting aircraft crashed "into a tree" 230 km south of Sydney on Friday, while battling a 1,700-hectare wildfire.

A spokesperson from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority told the local media that the Kawasaki BK117 helicopter went down near the township of Ulladulla, with paramedics called to the scene around 2:15 pm local time (0415 GMT).

With unseasonably warm weather and strong winds making conditions extremely difficult, emergency services have been struggling to contain dozens of blazes across Australia's State of New South Wales (NSW).

According to a NSW police spokesman, "significant resources" have been sent to the area where the aircraft lost control.

A local Australian Naval base, the HMAS Albatross, is also believed to be providing assistance.

It is believed that the pilot was the only person on board.