Two crew killed as British pilot survives after firefighting helicopters collide in Greece
✓Two crew members have been killed after two helicopters collided mid-air in Greece as they were battling wildfires, local authorities say.
The two fatalities were a Danish pilot and a Greek fire service liaison officer. A British pilot and another Greek coordinator on the second helicopter survived.
Video of the incident some 65 km (42 miles) west of the capital Athens, shows one of the Bell helicopters hitting the propellers of the other, which bursts into flames. Both fell into a ravine.
Several fires have broken out in Greece this week, prompting mass evacuations. Several other European nations have suffered devastating wildfires after a succession of prolonged heatwaves.
According to the Greek Fire Service, the two leased Bell helicopters collided while taking part in efforts to tackle a large wildfire burning on the Attica-Boeotia border.
The crew members of one aircraft were rescued alive, while the second crew were recovered unconscious and later pronounced dead.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed his "deepest sorrow" over the accident.
In a post on X, he said the loss of the Greek coordinator and Danish pilot "fills us all with grief". He also sent condolences to their families.
According to protocol, all Bell helicopters across the country have been grounded, a source from the Ministry of Civil Protection told the BBC.
Erickson Air-Crane and Chinook helicopters, as well as Canadair water-bombing aircraft are continuing to carry out firefighting efforts.
Early this week, France and Spain battled huge fires - two of the main ones were close to Madrid and Bordeaux respectively. Those have now been contained, though they are still burning. Some 300,000 people who were evacuated have started to return to their homes.
In Greece, media reports describe "a titanic battle" along a swathe of territory that includes Porto Germeno, Psatha, Fokida, Megara and Kefalonia, where more than 500 firefighters have been struggling to bring the situation under control over the past 72 hours.
Most wildfires are sparked by people, whether intentionally or accidentally, but climate change is making the conditions for them more common.
Last winter was mild and wet, encouraging vegetation growth, which has then dried out in successive hot spells, generating fuel for wildfires.
Read the full story at BBC ↗ · The Guardian ↗ · Al Jazeera ↗
Two helicopters collided mid-air on Greece's Attica-Boeotia border while engaged in wildfire suppression operations. Two crew members—a Danish pilot and a Greek fire service liaison officer—were killed. A British pilot and Greek coordinator on the second aircraft survived. Video footage shows one Bell helicopter striking the other's propellers before both aircraft fell into a ravine. The Greek Fire Service has grounded all Bell helicopters nationwide as a precaution. Other aircraft types continue firefighting efforts as Greece manages multiple active fires across a broad territory, with over 500 firefighters deployed across the region in recent days. Similar wildfires have affected France and Spain this week, with evacuations affecting hundreds of thousands of people across southern Europe.
Read the full story at BBC ↗ · The Guardian ↗ · Al Jazeera ↗
Two crew members have been killed after two helicopters collided mid-air in Greece as they were battling wildfires, local authorities say.
The two fatalities were a Danish pilot and a Greek fire service liaison officer. A British pilot and another Greek coordinator on the second helicopter survived.
Video of the incident some 65 km (42 miles) west of the capital Athens, shows one of the Bell helicopters hitting the propellers of the other, which bursts into flames. Both fell into a ravine.
Several fires have broken out in Greece this week, prompting mass evacuations. Several other European nations have suffered devastating wildfires after a succession of prolonged heatwaves.
According to the Greek Fire Service, the two leased Bell helicopters collided while taking part in efforts to tackle a large wildfire burning on the Attica-Boeotia border.
The crew members of one aircraft were rescued alive, while the second crew were recovered unconscious and later pronounced dead.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed his "deepest sorrow" over the accident.
In a post on X, he said the loss of the Greek coordinator and Danish pilot "fills us all with grief". He also sent condolences to their families.
According to protocol, all Bell helicopters across the country have been grounded, a source from the Ministry of Civil Protection told the BBC.
Erickson Air-Crane and Chinook helicopters, as well as Canadair water-bombing aircraft are continuing to carry out firefighting efforts.
Early this week, France and Spain battled huge fires - two of the main ones were close to Madrid and Bordeaux respectively. Those have now been contained, though they are still burning. Some 300,000 people who were evacuated have started to return to their homes.
In Greece, media reports describe "a titanic battle" along a swathe of territory that includes Porto Germeno, Psatha, Fokida, Megara and Kefalonia, where more than 500 firefighters have been struggling to bring the situation under control over the past 72 hours.
Most wildfires are sparked by people, whether intentionally or accidentally, but climate change is making the conditions for them more common.
Last winter was mild and wet, encouraging vegetation growth, which has then dried out in successive hot spells, generating fuel for wildfires.
Read the full story at BBC ↗ · The Guardian ↗ · Al Jazeera ↗
Two crew members died in the collision: a Danish pilot and a Greek fire service liaison officer A British pilot and a Greek coordinator survived the collision The collision occurred mid-air approximately 65 km west of Athens on the Attica-Boeotia border Video shows one Bell helicopter striking the propellers of the other, which then burst into flames Both helicopters fell into a ravine All Bell helicopters across Greece have been grounded following the incident Erickson Air-Crane, Chinook, and Canadair aircraft continue firefighting operations Multiple wildfires are burning across Greece including in Porto Germeno, Psatha, Fokida, Megara and Kefalonia Over 500 firefighters have been deployed to manage the situation over 72 hours France and Spain experienced major wildfires earlier this week, with around 300,000 people evacuated Most wildfires are sparked by people, whether intentionally or accidentally Climate change is making conditions for wildfires more common A mild, wet winter encouraged vegetation growth which dried in successive hot spells, generating fuel for wildfires
Read the full story at BBC ↗ · The Guardian ↗ · Al Jazeera ↗
- Two crew members died in a mid-air collision between two firefighting helicopters near Athens while battling wildfires
- A British pilot and Greek coordinator survived; a Danish pilot and Greek liaison officer were killed
- All Bell helicopters in Greece have been grounded following the incident; other aircraft continue firefighting operations
- Greece is battling multiple wildfires across Attica and surrounding regions, with over 500 firefighters deployed
- Wildfires across southern Europe this week have been fuelled by heatwaves and dried vegetation following a mild, wet winter