The crash site is located 15 kilometres west of One Tree, near Hay, and is 724 kilometres from Sydney.
Authorities reported that a man in his 40s, a passenger on the helicopter, was treated by paramedics but succumbed to his injuries at the scene. His identity has not yet been confirmed.
The 39-year-old pilot sustained minor injuries and was transported to a hospital in Melbourne, where he is in stable condition. Hay Shire Council Mayor Carol Oataway expressed that the crash is a tragic event for the local community.
Community members are in shock over the incident occurring so close to home, Mayor Oataway remarked. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) stated that the aircraft was on a ferry flight when it went down north of Hay.
Upon receiving the distress signal, AMSA dispatched its Essendon-based Challenger rescue aircraft and a Victorian Air Ambulance helicopter from Bendigo to begin the search. The crash site was soon located by a local skydiving aircraft participating in the search, as reported by AMSA through NSW Police.
NSW Rural Fire Service crews are currently at the scene, with NSW police also in attendance, and the AMSA Challenger rescue aircraft has returned to Essendon.
The ATSB has announced plans to investigate the crash, which will include interviewing witnesses and those involved, examining pilot and maintenance records, and retrieving flight data. Super Puma helicopters are commonly used by both civilian and military organizations and have previously been employed in firefighting operations.
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