Elena Gocmen Rueda
ONE of the firefighting aircraft almost came a cropper on Monday evening after flying too close to the trees below as it dumped its water load in an attempt to douse flames.
The Super Puma helicopter from INFOCA’s firefighting fleet suffered a ‘hard hit’ when its tail rotor brushed against a tree.
The forest fire service confirmed the incident but explained that luckily, no-one was injured and the aircraft suffered no damage.
The Super Puma was poised to empty the cargo of water it had just collected from the sea above the Sierra Bermeja forest wildfire when the incident occured..
The aerial team battling the giant blaze has garnered huge support, with an upbeat message sent by BRIF workers’ association in response.
“The most important thing is that nothing has happened to anyone. Cheer up everyone”.
But the tweet reporting the incident also provoked negative reaction from some trolls.
One claimed that the aircraft used by the fire service were not in ‘peak condition’.
But a photographer covering the wildfire jumped to the defence with snaps of the very same Super Puma doing an incredible job on Sunday.
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