Waterbomber pilot dies fighting Portugal wildfire

LISBON (Reuters) – A pilot died on Friday when his waterbomber plane crashed because it fought a wildfire raging within the northern Portuguese municipality of Torre de Moncorvo, authorities stated.

Civil Safety Authority commander Andre Fernandes stated there was solely a pilot on board the Fireplace Boss plane and emergency companies, together with autos and a helicopter, rushed to the scene of the crash at round 8 p.m.

Joao Sousa, mayor of the city of Foz Coa, the place the crash befell, advised Lusa information company the pilot was pronounced useless on the scene.

The wildfire in Torre de Moncorvo, an space recognized for its mountains and river, is certainly one of 9 blazes sweeping throughout drought-hit Portugal, which has been battling a warmth wave for the reason that starting of the week.

“It was with nice dismay that I realized concerning the dying of the pilot who operated an plane that crashed…I ship my deepest condolences to household and mates,” Prime Minister Antonio Costa wrote on Twitter.

(Reporting by Catarina Demony; Enhancing by Cynthia Osterman)