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Source: Reuters -
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One person is dead and another has suffered critical chest
injuries after a fire-fighting helicopter crashed at Dorrigo, on
the mid-north coast of NSW.
The injured person has been taken to Dorrigo Hospital and will be
airlifted to another hospital for further treatment.
Police say the helicopter crashed in Dorrigo National Park, inland
from Coffs Harbour, about 11.30am AEDT (1:30pm NZT) on
Wednesday.
The Rural Fire Service (RFS) says the helicopter crashed while
fighting bushfires in the area.
Police are finding it difficult to get information from the scene
due to a lack of radio and phone reception in the area, a spokesman
says.
A crime scene has been secured and the Australian Transport Safety
Bureau (ATSB) and Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) have been
informed.
The incident comes after the pilots of two water-bombing RFS
helicopters narrowly escaped with their lives after their crafts
clipped each other mid-air over a bushfire in the NSW central west
on Tuesday.
In a separate incident on Tuesday, the pilot of a helicopter
working over a fire about 40km southeast of Tamworth was forced to
make an emergency landing due to engine trouble.
Paramedics remain on the scene at Dorrigo.
NSW Premier Kristina Keneally and Emergency Services Minister Steve
Whan will be holding a media conference on the incident at 3pm
AEDT.
