Canadian waterbomber plane crashes while fighting Australia bushfires, three dead

The remnants of a destroyed home, burnt in the recent bushfires, is pictured in Conjola Park, New South Wales, Australia, January 22, 2020. REUTERS/Loren Elliott

SYDNEY (Reuters) - A Canadian-owned C-130 Hercules air tanker crashed while fighting bushfires in Australia's alpine region on Thursday, killing all three of its crew, authorities said.

The victims were American residents, Australian authorities said, adding that they did not immediately know why the plane crashed while carrying a load of fire retardant.