Forest Fire and Helicopter Crash
On August 2, a firefighting helicopter sent to respond to a forest fire in the Kızlarsekisi Neighborhood of the district crashed for an unknown reason while taking in water from the Gökdere Bridge Dam. In the accident, the five-person crew on the helicopter managed to escape by swimming from the dam after the crash and were taken to shore by boats.
The fire was brought under control and extinguished in a short time as a result of the rapid and effective interventions of other teams. Medical teams dispatched to the area after the fire took 5 people affected by the accident to the hospital. After the treatment, all of them were discharged and regained their health.
Debris Removal Works
A comprehensive operation has been launched to remove the helicopter’s wreckage that remained underwater. Gendarmerie Search and Rescue (JAK) and Underwater Search and Rescue (SAK) teams sent to the region from Ankara and Adana reached the wreckage of the ‘Mi-8’ type firefighting helicopter at a depth of approximately 38 meters. The helicopter’s wreckage is planned to be brought to the surface using a balloon system after the water level in the dam is lowered by 10-15 meters and then transported to land with the help of a crane.
The teams paused their work for a while to complete these preparations. It is stated that the debris removal process will be completed in the coming days and the process will be followed carefully.
