6 min ago
These photos show the damage caused when a drone struck a firefighting plane
From CNN's Zoe Sottile and Emma Tucker
A Canadian “Super Scooper” aircraft was damaged by a civilian drone on Thursday.
Photos released by the FBI show the damage done to the wing of a Canadian “Super Scooper” plane when it
collided with a civilian drone Thursday, forcing it to be temporarily grounded.
The specifically designed CL-415 firefighting plane, used to scoop up more than 1,500 gallons of ocean water, was helping to fight the devastating Palisades Fire.
A hole is seen in the wing of the plane.
The collision caused a three-by-six-inch hole in the plane’s wing, according to the FBI.
The FBI said it is seeking the public’s help to identify a suspect.
“These fire suppression efforts using aircraft is probably the most effective tool that our firefighters have against fighting these fires to help contain them,” Akil Davis, FBI assistant director in charge of the Los Angeles field office, told CNN on Saturday. “When you take one plane out of commission like that, it’s going to impact the speed in which the fire grows, it’s going to cause loss of property, potentially loss of life, and it’s a danger to everybody all around.”
Authorities were able to recover some pieces of the privately-owned drone, said Davis.
Pieces of the drone.
The damaged plane, Quebec 1, should be back up flying by Monday, L.A. County Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone
said Friday.
Authorities have vowed to prosecute all drone flights in areas over the wildfires, which they say are illegal and may interfere with firefighting efforts.