Footage shows rescue of pilots from crashed firefighting plane

Footage has emerged showing the rescue of personnel from a firefighting plane that crashed for unknown reasons while scooping water from Lake Bafa to combat a fire in the Didim district of Aydın. 

Local business owners Burak Kocakaya and Yalçın Kocakaya, who operate in Bafa, set out on their boat to rescue the personnel after the THK firefighting plane's nose began to sink while it was scooping water in the middle of the lake. It was observed that the nose of the plane was completely underwater, while the rear section of the fuselage remained above the surface, with the two pilots and a forest ranger waiting on top of the fuselage to be rescued.

Burak Kocakaya and Yalçın Kocakaya, who initiated the rescue operation with their fishing boat, frequently warned a hovering helicopter to gain altitude while they were attempting to bring the pilots and the forest ranger onto their boat. 

REACHED THE PLANE BY SWIMMING

One of the citizens, who was trying to rescue the personnel with the help of a rope extended from the boat, jumped into the water and reached the plane by swimming. Pulling the rope attached to the boat to bring it closer to the plane, the citizen ensured that the 3 people were rescued by boarding another fishing boat that had approached the scene.

Immediately after Forest Ranger İbrahim Arslan, First Pilot Hüseyin Çabuk, and Second Pilot Yakup Kameroğlu boarded two separate fishing boats, the plane sank into Lake Bafa.

Footage shows rescue of pilots from crashed firefighting planehttps://t.co/8O4rrurmMI pic.twitter.com/3Ks8Q1yYXp

— 12punto (@12puntocomtr) June 14, 2024

News Source: İHA