Authorities discovered the body of a pilot involved in battling a fierce Colorado wildfire after the aircraft he was operating crashed into a mountain reservoir. The incident occurred on Sunday evening.
The Montrose County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team successfully recovered the pilot’s body from Silver Jack Reservoir. Gunnison County Sheriff Adam Murdie stated that the body would be transported to the Gunnison County Coroner’s Office. The pilot’s identity remains undisclosed until family notification is complete.
On Sunday, approximately at 5:17 p.m., a report came in to the Gunnison Regional Communications Center regarding an aircraft that had gone down in the southwestern section of Gunnison County. The aircraft was deployed for the Gold Mountain Fire task, actively burning in southwestern Colorado.
The crash’s cause is under investigation. Current reports confirm only the pilot occupied the aircraft. Respondents include deputies, investigators, and Montrose County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team members.
The Gold Mountain Fire has so far engulfed roughly 35,600 acres, with containment efforts reaching around 5% by Sunday. According to the Interagency Wildland Fire Air Quality Response Program, fire activity is expected to persist. Variable winds are likely to distribute smoke to diverse communities in the upcoming days.
A health advisory concerning air quality remains imposed across parts of central, southern, and western Colorado due to wildfire smoke.
Further details will be provided once authorities notify the pilot’s next of kin.
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