A French water-bombing helicopter crashed into the Étang de Rosporden in Finistère on Sunday evening while refilling its external bucket during wildfire operations, local officials said. The Morane 29 aircraft was tackling a blaze that threatened a nearby house when it struck the water at about 19:10 and spun into the pond. The pilot and a firefighter on board managed to free themselves and swim to shore without injury; they and a witness were later released from hospital after precautionary checks. The Morane 29, leased each summer by the Finistère fire and rescue service (SDIS), had already carried out 27 drops earlier in the day and 154 since July as part of 33 interventions across the department. Eyewitness video shows the helicopter descending to scoop water before its fuselage touched the surface, leading to the loss of control. Investigators are examining whether pilot error or a technical failure caused the crash. Environmental teams installed absorbent booms to contain small fuel and oil leaks, and the nearby Pont-Aven drinking-water pumping station was shut as a precaution. A specialist contractor and drone surveyors are assessing how to lift the wreckage, while municipal authorities have temporarily banned fishing, boating and access around the three local ponds. The prefecture has ordered an inquiry into the incident and arranged for another helicopter to replace the downed aircraft to ensure firefighting capacity remains intact amid continued summer fire risk.