2 pilots killed in helicopter crash while battling Dome Fire at Yosemite National Park

CALIFORNIA, USA — Two helicopter pilots were killed when their aircraft crashed Sunday afternoon while conducting water drops on a wildfire at Yosemite National Park, officials say.

The pilots were the only people on board and were employed by the contract aircraft company Precision. They were working with a wildland firefighting crew that specializes in using ropes to descend from helicopters to reach otherwise inaccessible terrain, known as helitack rappelling.

The Super Puma helicopter was using a water bucket to help suppress the fire when it went down southeast of Ostrander Lake,...