A tragic helicopter collision has occurred in Greece, resulting in the deaths of two people while battling wildfires in the area west of Athens on Sunday. The collision involved two firefighting helicopters, with a Greek and a Danish national on one helicopter losing their lives. A Briton and a Greek national on the second helicopter survived the incident.
The collision was captured on footage, showing the two helicopters crossing paths at low altitude before the main rotor of the lower helicopter struck the underside of the other, causing it to crash down in flames. The second helicopter managed to fly away and carry out an emergency landing.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and President Konstantinos Tasoulas have paid tribute to the firefighters killed in the incident. The wildfires have destroyed over 100 homes around Psatha, Attica, northwest of Athens, and have been exacerbated by record-breaking heatwaves and little rain, which scientists attribute to climate change.
This incident is the latest in a series of devastating wildfires across Europe, with destructive blazes in France and Spain showing signs of easing over the weekend. However, several wildfires have broken out in Greece after a period of relative calm. Earlier this week, two firefighters died in Crete after becoming trapped between two fire fronts, and a third firefighter was found unconscious near the southern Peloponnese port town of Gytheio and was later pronounced dead.
Investigations into the helicopter crash are underway, with no theories shared yet. Aeronautical engineer Phaedon Karaiosifidis stated that the factors being looked into include human error, mechanical failure, and weather conditions. Initial indications suggest human error may have been the cause of the collision, with no reports of technical failure.
Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis expressed his deepest sorrow over the deaths of the Danish pilot and Greek coordinator, offering sincere condolences to their families. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also offered her condolences, highlighting the courage of firefighters who risk their lives to battle these fires.
Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire in Attica, with early investigations suggesting it started in the region of Boeotia due to sparks from conductors on a private network transmitting electricity generated by wind turbines to the main power grid. Two Greek nationals have been arrested on suspicion of negligence, while another suspect remains at large.
