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Fire-Fighting Helicopter Crashes in Australia, Pilot Killed (PHOTO)

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - A fire-fighting helicopter crashed in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) during an operation to extinguish a blaze in the area, killing the pilot, The Sydney Morning Herald reported Friday.
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According to The Sydney Morning Herald, citing a spokesman for the local ambulance service, the helicopter is believed to have crashed into a tree near the town of Ulladulla. The NSW Rural Fire Service has since confirmed the incident.

Police later stated that the helicopter's wreckage and the deceased pilot had been located at the corner of Plot Road and Kingiman Road, west of Ulladulla.

"This a tragic event and my deepest sympathies are with the pilot's family and friends," NSW Emergency Services Minister Troy Grant said.

On Thursday, the NSW Rural Fire Service said that about 650 firefighters and over 40 aircraft were engaged in extinguishing fires in the region since a massive drought has devastated the region, prompting the authorities earlier this week to declare a state of emergency.

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