In a dramatic turn of events on Wednesday evening, a helicopter contracted by Working on Fire crashed on the Hout Bay mountain of Cape Town, South Africa, while battling a blaze in the area, reports Cape {town} Etc.

Fortunately, both pilots have been confirmed safe, reportedly sustaining only minor injuries as emergency services mobilised rapidly to the scene.

Ward councillor Roberto Quintas hailed the pilot’s survival as a miracle. ‘There is a fire crew onsite who will manage the secondary fire caused by the crash once the area is secured,’ he stated.

Quintas expressed gratitude to the valuable service men and women involved in the firefighting efforts, urging residents to keep them in their thoughts and prayers. ‘We extend our sincere wishes for a speedy recovery for the pilot,’ he added.

Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith, detailed the sequence of events leading up to the incident.

As emergency personnel worked to assist SANParks with a wildfire threatening Hout Bay and Constantia Nek, a SANParks-contracted helicopter appeared to have clipped the mountain with its main rotor before crashing.

Smith confirmed the pilot survived the crash, with rescue technicians swiftly deployed to aid in their descent from the mountain.

Authorities wasted no time in securing the crash site. "Enforcement officers have been dispatched to ensure the area is safe until the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Civil Aviation Authority can take over the scene," Smith elaborated. 

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Source: Cape {town} Etc