Two people were killed after two firefighting helicopters collided while battling a massive wildfire in Greece, in one of the country’s deadliest firefighting accidents in recent years.
The victims were identified as a Danish pilot and a Greek Fire Service liaison officer. A British pilot and another Greek coordinator survived the collision with minor injuries and remain under medical observation.
The accident occurred about 65 kilometers (40 miles) west of Athens while two Bell 214ST helicopters were dropping water on a large wildfire near the border of Attica and Boeotia. Dramatic video shared on social media shows one helicopter striking the rotor of the other before bursting into flames and crashing into a ravine. The second aircraft managed to make an emergency landing.
Both helicopters were operated by the Australian company McDermott Aviation, which has been assisting Greece during this year’s wildfire season.
Following the crash, Greek authorities temporarily grounded all Bell 214ST firefighting helicopters operating in the country while investigators determine the cause of the accident.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed his condolences, calling the deaths of the Greek liaison officer and the Danish pilot a tragedy for the nation.
The collision comes as Greece continues to battle devastating wildfires fueled by extreme heat and dry conditions. Large-scale evacuations have been carried out across several regions, while other European countries, including Franceand Spain, are also struggling with major wildfires.
Experts warn that although many wildfires are caused by human activity, prolonged heat waves and increasingly dry conditions have made fires more intense and difficult to control across southern Europe.
Sources: Reuters, BBC News, Kathimerini, Greek Fire Service.
Video: Courtesy of X (@FL360aero).
Additional source: X (@europa).