Two individuals lost their lives when firefighting helicopters collided while combating wildfires in Greece
A Danish pilot and a Greek fire official lost their lives following a collision between two firefighting helicopters while they were engaged in operations to combat wildfires near Athens.
Two crew members lost their lives when two firefighting helicopters collided in mid-air while combating wildfires in Greece. A British pilot and another Greek official managed to survive the incident.
The collision took place on Sunday when two Bell helicopters were battling a significant wildfire on the Attica-Boeotia border, approximately 65 kilometres west of Athens.
The individuals involved were recognized as a Danish pilot and a liaison officer from the Greek Fire Service. The second helicopter, which had a British pilot and a Greek fire service coordinator on board, executed an emergency landing. Both individuals managed to escape with only minor injuries.
Video footage of the incident captured one helicopter colliding with the rotor blades of another, resulting in a fiery explosion as the aircraft plummeted into a ravine. The second helicopter successfully landed in a region with sparse vegetation.
As reported by the Greek Fire Service, both helicopters were leased from the Australian aviation company McDermott Aviation specifically for wildfire suppression operations.
A source from Greece’s Civil Protection Ministry stated that the surviving British pilot, who was privately contracted for the wildfire season, was not involved in any UK-Greece assistance program. “The two individuals on board, a British pilot and a Greek fire service liaison officer, sustained only minor injuries,” the source stated.
“Both individuals stayed alert and have been taken to the hospital, where they will be monitored for 24 hours as a safety measure.”
In the aftermath of the accident, Greek authorities suspended all Bell helicopters operating nationwide while investigations into the crash are conducted.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis conveyed his condolences regarding the tragedy, characterizing the fatalities as a national loss.
In a post on X, Mitsotakis expressed that the loss of the Greek coordinator and Danish pilot “fills us all with grief,” while offering condolences to their families.
McDermott Aviation, an Australian company, also conveyed their condolences regarding the incident.
Company founder and president John McDermott stated, “McDermott Aviation is collaborating closely with the relevant authorities and will continue to provide assistance as they conduct their investigation into the incident.”
He expressed that “the company’s thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families, friends, and colleagues of those affected by this tragic incident.”
Greek media reported that the two surviving crew members promptly notified emergency services following the collision, aiding rescuers in swiftly locating the crash site.
Despite the accident, firefighting operations persisted with the deployment of Erickson Air-Crane helicopters, Chinook helicopters, and Canadair water-bombing aircraft to combat the blazes.
The helicopter crash occurred as Greece faced ongoing challenges from numerous wildfires after several days of intense heat, with over 500 firefighters assigned to impacted regions such as Porto Germeno, Psatha, Fokida, Megara, and Kefalonia.
In other parts of Europe, France and Spain have faced significant wildfires recently. However, officials report that the largest fires near Madrid and Bordeaux are now mostly under control, enabling hundreds of thousands of evacuated residents to start returning to their homes.
Researchers indicate that although the majority of wildfires result from human actions, climate change has led to hotter and drier conditions, facilitating the rapid spread of fires and increasing their destructiveness.
