Pilot dies after his helicopter crashes while extinguishing a fire in South Korea

SEOUL, South Korea — A helicopter crashed during an operation to extinguish a fire in southeastern South Korea on Sunday, killing its pilot, the local fire agency said.

A local fire office said that the fire at the hill in the city of Daegu had been put out about one hour after it had broken out.

The identity of the pilot and the cause of the crash weren't immediately known.

The southeastern regions in South Korea suffered last month the worst-ever wildfires on record. Multiple blazes driven by strong winds and dry weather razed vast swaths of land and killed 31 people, including a pilot whose helicopter crashed during efforts to contain one of the wildfires.