Two firefighting helicopters collided in midair on Sunday while battling a wind-driven wildfire west of Athens, resulting in the deaths of two crew members. The incident occurred in the Psatha area, where crews were working to contain a blaze that has forced evacuations and destroyed homes. Each of the two Bell helicopters carried a two-person crew, consisting of a foreign pilot and a Greek coordinator. Following the collision, one aircraft crashed to the ground, while the other crew was successfully rescued and transported to a hospital in Athens.
The collision took place during a period of extreme weather, as Greece and other parts of Europe face a severe wildfire season characterized by record-breaking heat and strong winds. Authorities had previously warned that gale-force winds, which can reach speeds of up to 100 km/h, were creating hazardous conditions for aerial firefighting operations. These gusts often make it difficult for aircraft to collect water from the sea and can lead to severe turbulence, complicating the efforts of pilots working in close proximity to one another.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed his condolences to the families of the victims, acknowledging the tragic loss of the Greek coordinator and the Danish pilot. The incident has prompted an immediate investigation into the cause of the crash, and the Greek fire service has grounded all Bell helicopters in the region as a precautionary measure. This tragedy adds to a difficult week for emergency responders in Greece, where the death toll from recent wildfires has risen to five, including three firefighters who died in separate incidents in Crete and the Peloponnese.
As the investigation continues, authorities are focused on understanding the specific circumstances that led to the midair collision. The incident highlights the inherent dangers faced by aerial crews who are often deployed to manage volatile fire fronts. While the immediate search and rescue operation has concluded, the broader challenge of containing the wildfires remains, with hundreds of firefighters still working to protect communities near the Greek capital.