[kellyhound]

On Monday, May 10, a tragic helicopter accident claimed the lives of four individuals as it crashed into Erhai Lake in Dali, located in Southwest China's Yunnan Province.

The aircraft was identified as a Z-8X helicopter, operated by the People's Liberation Army Air Force. It was engaged in firefighting efforts on the ground, using an external bucket to drop water. Tragically, the accident occurred while the helicopter was attempting to refill its water bucket at the lake.

Initially, reports indicated that the two pilots on board had lost their lives, with two crewmembers reported as missing. A search and rescue operation involving 16 ships and over 490 rescuers was launched. Sadly, the missing crewmembers were discovered lifeless approximately 16 hours later, in the early hours of Tuesday morning, local time.

Videos captured the distressing moments leading up to the crash. The helicopter was seen slowly rotating or spinning while hovering a few hundred feet above the lake, with its bucket being lowered into the water. The rotation gained speed, causing the aircraft to descend rapidly, culminating in a devastating explosion that scattered debris before the helicopter plunged into the water, still carrying the attached water bucket.

[durt]

Looks like the aft engine let go!

[pervM]

Don't worry, chinese building quality is top of the world, the two people filming were already sent to education camps to remind them of this fact.

[trean362]

Looks like they had tail rotor failure and didn't know they had to cut power and drop collective pitch to windmill down to the water

[Azimuth]

Oh that fine Chinese workmanship strikes again.