Brook Mitchell via Getty Images A large air tanker (LAT) drops retardant near a property on January 10, 2020 in Penrose, Australia. Helicopters were searching on Thursday for a C-130 Hercules air tanker feared to have crashed while fighting bushfires, authorities said, as soaring temperatures and strong winds fanned blazes across the country’s east. Flight tracking website Flightradar24 showed the flight path for an air tanker used in waterbombing operations suddenly stopping in Peak View, south of Canberra. According to its flight data, the aircraft departed the Richmond air force base in western Sydney around 12:15 p.m. (0105 GMT). Residents and businesses near fires were told it was too late to leave as thick plumes of dark smoke smothered the neighbouring suburbs.

Source: Huffington Post January 23, 2020 05:15 UTC