A mid-air collision between two Greek firefighting helicopters has killed two crew members during wildfire operations near the capital. The accident occurred on Sunday west of Athens, where fire crews have been battling blazes that have spread across several regions and through farmland, grassland and forests.
The Greek fire brigade said the two machines collided while taking part in an operation around Psatha. Rescue units were mobilised at once and a search-and-rescue effort was still under way at the time of the announcement. Video footage posted on social media captures the moment of the impact and shows one helicopter falling straight to the ground immediately afterwards.
Both firefighters aboard that helicopter died, while the crew of the other machine was safe, according to the fire service, which did not give details about their condition. The Associated Press, citing the fire brigade, identified the dead as Greek and Danish nationals; the two surviving crew members were Greek and British citizens. International aviation crews often help fight Greek forest fires during the summer season.
Fires close to Athens and island evacuations
The flames reached the area from Agios Wasileios, a locality about 80 kilometres northwest of Athens. In the zone north-west of the Greek capital, wildfires have already destroyed more than 100 houses. Several settlements on Kefalonia, an island popular with tourists, were evacuated overnight from Saturday to Sunday.
On Saturday, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the fire situation in Greece was extremely difficult. He warned that extreme heat over the coming days would be accompanied by very strong winds, creating conditions for the rapid spread of fire. Strong gusts have also prevented firefighting planes from reaching active fire fronts and even from collecting water from the rough sea.
Three more firefighters confirmed dead
On Wednesday, Greek authorities confirmed the deaths of three firefighters. Two of them were trapped by fire in their vehicle near the city of Rethymno in northern Crete, and the third died during a firefighting operation in the southern Peloponnese.
– In recent years we have invested more than ever in strengthening civil protection… There are however moments when nature and the force of weather conditions exceed all human plans and operational capabilities – said Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
Source: Polsat News, Photo: Polsat News
