Two crew members have been killed after two firefighting helicopters collided mid-air on Sunday while battling a major wildfire on the Attica-Boeotia border in Greece.
The fatalities were a Danish pilot and a Greek fire service liaison officer. A British pilot and a Greek coordinator on the second aircraft survived the incident with minor injuries, reports BBC.
Video footage of the accident, which occurred approximately 65 km (42 miles) west of Athens, shows one of the two Bell helicopters striking the propellers of the other. The struck aircraft burst into flames and crashed into a ravine, while the second helicopter performed an emergency landing.
The two survivors were a British private pilot hired for the wildfire season and a Greek liaison officer. Both remained conscious after the collision.
They immediately reported the accident and guided rescuers to the crash site. Both have been admitted to hospital for 24 hours of observation as a precaution.
Officials clarified that the British survivor was not part of any official exchange or request for assistance from the United Kingdom.
In response to the tragedy, a source from the Civil Protection Ministry said that all Bell helicopters across the country have been grounded according to protocol.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed his “deepest sorrow” over the accident, noting on social media that the loss of the crew members “fills us all with grief”.
The helicopters involved were leased from the Australian company McDermott Aviation. John McDermott, the company’s founder and president John McDermott said his staff’s “thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families, friends and colleagues of those affected by this tragic incident.”
Despite the accident, firefighting efforts continue with Erickson Air-Crane and Chinook helicopters, alongside Canadair water-bombing aircraft.
More than 500 firefighters are currently engaged in what has been described as a “titanic battle” across territory including Porto Germeno, Psatha, Fokida, Megara, and Kefalonia.
The current wildfire season follows a mild and wet winter that encouraged vegetation growth, which has since dried out during successive heatwaves to create significant fuel for blazes.
While most wildfires are sparked by human activity, climate change is increasingly making the conditions for such fires more common.
