Hungary sends helicopters to help contain forest fires

The minister of defence said that one Airbus H225M from the Szolnok-based HDF 86th Helicopter Wing will be prepared for the tasks, and a Mi-17 from EUFOR Operation Althea conducted in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Szolnok unit has already started training for picking up water with Bambi bucket.

Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky recalled that the present occasion is not the first time for the Hungarian Air Force to provide assistance with natural disasters, as Hungarian helicopters already helped in Slovenia last summer.

He underlined that additionally – as it was also announced by Minister of Trade and Foreign Affairs Péter Szijjártó –, the Hungarian government is going to send off-road fire rescue vehicles for the firefighting works.