Hungarian helicopter on its way to help in Bulgaria

A Hungarian helicopter with firefighting capabilities is on its way to Bulgaria to help contain forest fires there, the defence minister said on Sunday.

The H225M army helicopter of the Jozsef Kiss 86th Helicopter Brigade took off from Szolnok at 2.45pm carrying a fire fighting bucket, other equipment and personnel, according to the ministry’s statement.

Bulgaria requested international assistance through the European Union’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC), and fully four firefighting helicopters and two aircraft from EU member states are providing air support.

Fires have developed near the settlements of Tran and Strumyani, “putting several populated areas in danger,” Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky, the defence minister, said in the statement.

Hungarian personnel using multi-purpose helicopters “have already proven themselves on numerous occasions both at home and abroad”, he said, mentioning a Hungarian contribution to an international mission in North Macedonia last year and two Hungarian aircraft used in Albania to help contain forest fires there.

Read also:

• Hungarian military helicopters sent to Albania for help
• PHOTOS: Multi-national helicopter exercise held in Central Hungary

Click for more Balkans news.