Pilot André Serra dies in the crash.

In a statement, the Civil Protection indicates that the plane that crashed in the early evening was “a FireBoss amphibious plane, from the Centro de Meios Aereos de Viseu, assigned to the Special Device for Fighting Rural Fires”.

The pilot later named as Pilot André Serra aged 30 years lost his life in the crash.

Also according to the statement, the aircraft “crashed this afternoon while operating in the Fire in Torre de Moncorvo, Bragança, with the alert having been given at 19:55 and there was a fatality to be recorded, the pilot-commander of the aircraft”.

According to the national commander of Civil Protection, André Fernandes, resources have already been sent to the scene, namely an INEM helicopter, Air Force search and rescue resources, firefighters from the Guarda and Bragança districts, elements of the Maritime Police, and a Civil Protection coordination helicopter.

In the last two decades, six Portuguese pilots who participated in firefighting operations died in about a dozen accidents.

Prime minister Antonio Costa on Twitter “It was with great dismay that I learned of the death of the pilot who operated an aircraft that crashed this afternoon in the fight against the fire in Torre de Moncorvo.

I send my deepest condolences to family and friends.

To all the operatives who are on the ground, I convey my solidarity and gratitude for their commitment and dedication to fighting the fires that have ravaged our country.”