The three Americans who died fighting an Australian bushfire from the air have been identified by their employer: Capt. Ian McBeth, 44, who was piloting the downed plane; First Officer Paul Clyde Hudson, age 42; and Flight Engineer Rick DeMorgan Jr., 43
The three are 44-year-old Capt. Ian McBeth of Great Falls, Montana, who was piloting the downed C-130 plane; First Officer Paul Clyde Hudson, age 42, of Buckeye, Arizona; and 43-year-old Flight Engineer Rick DeMorgan Jr., who lived in Navarre, Florida, Coulson said in a statement."The aviation industry and emergency service sector is a small community both in Australia and around the world," Coulson said. "This will be deeply felt by all.
The crew had been on a firebombing mission in the state of New South Wales, where fires are still burning out of control, when the accident occurred, Coulson said earlier. According to the New South Wales Rural Fire Service commissioner, Shane Fitzsimmons, contact was lost with the C-130 water-bombing plane shortly before 1:30 p.m. local time on Thursday.Fires have been burning in New South Wales for months, and the US and other countries have been lending firefighting assistance and personnel.
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