Aviation News – A Eurocopter EC225LP Super Puma, registered VH-HGM, crashed into the Barito River in South Kalimantan, Indonesia, on November 8, 2026, while conducting an aerial firefighting mission. Initial reports indicated casualties and a missing crew member, but updated information from Indonesia’s disaster management agency, BNPB, states that all three crew members survived.
The helicopter was operating near Tabatan Village, in Kuripan District, Barito Kuala Regency, when the accident occurred. The aircraft was performing a water-bombing mission to combat forest and land fires in the region. The helicopter, manufacturer serial number 2878, was privately owned and contracted by Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) for disaster response operations.
The EC225LP Super Puma, also known as the Airbus Helicopters H225, is a heavy-lift helicopter designed for demanding missions, including offshore transport, search and rescue, and disaster response. During water-bombing operations, helicopters use a Bambi Bucket or similar suspended water container to collect water from rivers or other water sources and release it over fire-affected areas. Such operations require precise manoeuvring at low altitude.
BNPB acting head of its disaster information and communication centre, Berton SP Panjaitan, confirmed that the helicopter was contracted for firefighting operations and that the agency was collecting information about the accident. BNPB chief Lieutenant General Kristomei Sianturi also received preliminary reports and requested a detailed account of the incident. The agency stated that a full report on the circumstances and cause of the crash would be prepared for authorities and the public.