Cape Town - A Working on Fire helicopter has crashed during firefighting operations in the Garden Route, killing its pilot.
Western Cape MEC for Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Anton Bredell confirmed that there had been one fatality.
"The (MEC for) Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Anton Bredell, regrets to confirm that a Working on Fire helicopter has crashed during firefighting operations in the Garden Route region of the Western Cape," the department said in a statement.
"The specific area is called Vermaaklikheid and it falls in the Hessequa municipal boundary. There has been one confirmed fatality but the further details cannot be released at this time.
"Western Cape Provincial Fire services has already deployed resources from the Overberg region to the area and the City of Cape Town fire and rescue services has been put on standby to provide additional backup if required," the statement continued.
Bredell expressed his condolences on behalf of the provincial government.
"The family, friends and the community of firefighters are in our thoughts at this time."
The public is urged to report fire outbreaks across the province as soon as possible using the emergency number 112.