Overview
- Local authorities say a firefighting aircraft went down into Silver Jack Reservoir at 5:17 p.m. on Sunday and dive teams recovered one body that was taken to the county coroner.
- Officials confirmed the aircraft was working on the Gold Mountain Fire but have not said whether it was a fixed-wing airtanker or a helicopter.
- Montrose County dive teams and the Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Division responded to the scene and remain involved in on-site recovery and evidence gathering.
- The Gold Mountain Fire has burned roughly 35,600 acres with low containment and mandatory evacuations in some areas east and northeast of Ouray, and some reports show differing containment figures.
- Investigators have not released a cause for the crash or for the wildfire and the occupant’s identity is being withheld pending next-of-kin notification as officials continue their probes.