The facts
Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency said on 9 November it would review water-bombing flight-safety procedures after two helicopter accidents within about a week, including crew safety and water-collection operations. [1][3]
The agency said the first crash involved an Army Mi-17V5 in Central Kalimantan and killed three personnel; the second, on 8 November, involved a Super Puma supporting firefighting and killed one crew member after it fell into the Barito River. [1][3][4]
The transport ministry’s aviation directorate reported the Barito River crash while the search was under way; ABC later reported that one Indonesian crew member’s body was recovered and the cause remained under investigation. [2][4]
South Kalimantan temporarily suspended aerial firefighting after the 8 November crash. Governor Muhidin said operations would rely on ground teams and volunteers because fire conditions were relatively under control after rainfall. [5][6]
Still unconfirmed
- The cause of either crash and whether the accidents share any factor remain unknown.
- BNPB’s safety review findings and any national change to aerial firefighting procedures have not been reported.
- The timetable for resuming South Kalimantan water-bombing flights is unknown.
Sources
References support the numbered facts above. Source checks: 10 Nov 2026, 08:57 UTC.
BNPB and Indonesia’s aviation directorate provide primary accounts; ABC independently reports the second crash fatality and the separate earlier crash. ANTARA reports the governor’s regional suspension and SBS provides separate coverage. The fatality count is four across two accidents, not four in one crash. No cause or common factor is established.
- Dua Insiden Helikopter Terjadi Saat Penanganan Karhutla, BNPB Evaluasi SOP Keselamatan Water Bombing
Indonesia National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) · Primary source · 9 Nov 2026
Opened BNPB’s 9 November announcement. It says two helicopter accidents during wildfire response occurred within about a week; an Army Mi-17V5 crash killed three personnel and an 8 November Super Puma crash in the Barito River killed one. BNPB says it will review water-bombing flight-safety procedures.
- Kemenhub Terima Laporan Kecelakaan Helikopter Water Bombing di Sungai Barito, Kalimantan Selatan
Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Indonesia Ministry of Transportation · Primary source · 8 Nov 2026
Opened the aviation directorate’s report on the Barito River accident. It provides the initial official account; later death confirmation is sourced to the subsequent reports listed separately.
- Indonesia evaluates wildfire air operations following two crashes
ANTARA News · Reporting · 9 Nov 2026
Opened the English-language report on BNPB’s review and the two separate fatal crashes. ANTARA is Indonesia’s national news agency; its account attributes the review and crash facts to officials.
- Australian crew member confirmed safe after firefighting helicopter crash in Borneo
Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC News) · Reporting · 8 Nov 2026
Opened ABC’s local reporting, updated 9 November. It says a body of an Indonesian crew member was recovered after the Barito crash, the cause was under investigation, and three Indonesian crew had died in a separate earlier firefighting-helicopter crash.
- South Kalimantan suspends aerial firefighting after helicopter crash
ANTARA News · Reporting · 10 Nov 2026
Opened the 10 November report quoting Governor Muhidin on the temporary suspension of water-bombing flights, the shift to ground teams and volunteers, and improving conditions after rain.
- Indonesia grounds water-bombing operations in South Kalimantan after fatal helicopter crash
SBS Indonesian · Reporting · 10 Nov 2026
Opened SBS Indonesian’s 10 November coverage of the provincial suspension and ongoing investigation. It corroborates the local operational change; no cause or restart date is reported.