Firefighting Aircraft Crash
Firefighting Aircraft Crashes Into Reservoir During Gold Mountain Fire, Crew Member's Status Unknown
Key Points
Montrose County Sheriff's Office dive team was at Silver Jack Reservoir assisting with recovery efforts.
The fire response is being led by the Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 3.
Silver Jack Reservoir is described as northeast of Ouray and near Cimarron Ridge, placing the crash site within a popular recreation area.
InciWeb lists the Gold Mountain Fire burn area at more than 35,601 acres, illustrating the scale of the blaze involved.
A firefighting aircraft went down in Silver Jack Reservoir in western Colorado on Sunday evening, with one person believed to have been on board. CBS News later reported that a body was recovered from the reservoir. The status of the crew member had been uncertain since the crash was first reported at 5:17 p.m. local time.
The aircraft was operating against the Gold Mountain Fire, a massive blaze that has burned more than 35,600 acres near Ouray since it started on June 27. CBS News noted the fire was only 5% contained at the time of the crash, with more than 1,000 personnel engaged in the response.
Body Recovered After Aircraft Plunges Into Reservoir
The aircraft went down around 5:17 p.m. Sunday at Silver Jack Reservoir in Gunnison County. CBS News confirmed that a body was recovered from the water. It remains unclear whether the aircraft was a plane or a helicopter. Officials have not released the identity of the crew member.
Silver Jack Reservoir sits northeast of Ouray, near Cimarron Ridge. The area is a popular recreation spot. The crash placed the recovery scene directly within the active fire zone, complicating response efforts.
Multiple Agencies Rush to Silver Jack Reservoir
The Montrose County Sheriff's Office dive team responded to the scene along with the Gunnison County Sheriff's Office Investigations Division. Head Topics reported that several other resources were also sent to assist. Authorities treated the situation as a developing incident from the start.
The dive team's involvement points to an underwater recovery operation. No further details about the search timeline or conditions at the reservoir were released by Sunday night.
Gold Mountain Fire Scorches 35,600 Acres Near Ouray
The Gold Mountain Fire started near Ouray on June 27 and grew quickly. Streamline Feed reported the blaze had expanded to more than 35,000 acres by the time of the crash. InciWeb listed the burn area at over 35,601 acres. The fire was around 13% contained as of Sunday night, though some reports put the figure as low as 5%.
Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 3 is leading the fire response. More than 1,000 personnel are working the blaze. The crash added a new layer of urgency to an already large and difficult operation.
Firefighting Aircraft Crashes Are Rare But Deadly
Air tankers and other firefighting aircraft fly in dangerous, smoky conditions at low altitudes. Crashes, while uncommon, are among the most serious risks in wildfire response. The Gold Mountain Fire crash is a stark reminder of those dangers, coming as crews battle one of the largest active fires in Colorado this season.
Officials have not yet said what type of aircraft went down or what may have caused the crash. An investigation is expected once the recovery phase is complete. More information is likely to emerge in the coming days as agencies coordinate their findings.
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