By Gillian Mohney
SFGate
MARIPOSA COUNTY, Calif. — Two men killed when their helicopter crashed in Yosemite National Park on Sunday have been identified as Greg King and Ryan Cutter by their Oregon -based employer, Fly Precision.
In a statement the company thanked the public for their “thoughts and prayers.”
“These two men brought honor to the mission. Their dedication and service will never be forgotten,” the team at Fly Precision wrote in an Instagram post.
The men were taking part in water bucket drops to battle the Dome Fire near Wawona on Sunday when their helicopter went down just before 3 p.m, according to a preliminary report by the Federal Aviation Administration . The cause of the crash is not yet known.
The Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection issued a statement saying that King had also taken part battling Alaskan wildfires in the past and called his death a “devastating loss.”
“Greg was a dedicated aviator and a dear friend to many of us. We are mourning both pilots who bravely supported firefighting efforts, and our hearts go out to their families,” the division wrote in a social media post.
A GoFundMe set up for Ryan Cutter’s wife described him as a “deeply loved husband, son, friend, and godfather.”
The deaths of the two men are the first among firefighting personnel in California this year. The only other wildfire-related fatality occurred when a woman was killed during the Gann Fire in August in Calaveras County. At least 581 firefighting personnel are still battling the Dome Fire, which has burned 3,522 acres and is 15% contained, in a remote area of Yosemite National Park.
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