Italian water bomber crashes in Sicily
A Canadair CL-415 water bomber operating on behalf of Italy’s Vigili del Fuoco fire service crashed near Linguaglossa, Sicily, on 27 October
The aircraft, which was piloted by a crew of two, had departed from Lamezia Terme International Airport on the Italian mainland earlier that day to conduct wildfire firefighting operations in Sicily.
The firefighting operation was happening in a predominantly rural area, albeit one with hilly and uneven terrain.
Prior to the crash, the aircraft was seen banking heavily, releasing its water shortly before the crash. Its right wing made contact with the side of a mountain, causing aircraft to subsequently break up.
The impact ruptured the aircraft’s fuel tanks, which caught fire. Both crew members onboard were killed.
"I am saddened and very sorry for the two victims of the Linguaglossa accident,” said Director of the Civil Protection of Sicily, Salvo Cocina. “My teams saw the Canadair plummet, then the smoke. The plane is completely destroyed and it seems that there is nothing to do.”
Aerial firefighting operations pose a high risk of crashes. A similar incident occurred on 13 July, when a helicopter operated by the Greek Coast Guard crashed into the Aegean Sea while responding to a forest fire. Both pilots onboard that aircraft also did not survive.
Oliver Cuenca
Oliver Cuenca is a Junior Editor at AirMed&Rescue. He was previously a News and Features Journalist for the rail magazine IRJ until 2021, and studied MA Magazine Journalism at Cardiff University. His favourite helicopter is the AW169 – the workhorse of the UK air ambulance sector! He also led the creation of Waypoint: The AirMed&Rescue podcast, serving as its Production Editor and co-host.