Two crew killed after firefighting helicopters collide in Greece, as British pilot survives
Two helicopters collided mid-air while fighting wildfires in Greece, resulting in the deaths of a Danish pilot and a Greek fire service officer. A second helicopter involved in the incident made an emergency landing, with the two crew members surviving with minor injuries.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the extreme dangers faced by emergency responders during the ongoing wildfire crises across Europe.
Figure caption, Watch: Moment before helicopters collide while tackling Greece wildfires
Two crew members have been killed after two helicopters collided mid-air in Greece while battling wildfires.
The fatalities were a Danish pilot and a Greek fire service liaison officer. A British pilot and another Greek co-ordinator on the second helicopter survived.
Video of the incident some 65 km (42 miles) west of the capital Athens shows one of the two Bell helicopters hitting the propellers of the other, which bursts into flames and crashes in a ravine. The other aircraft made an emergency landing.
Wildfires have broken out in Greece this week, prompting mass evacuations. Other European states have also suffered devastating blazes during prolonged heatwaves.
According to the Greek Fire Service, the two leased Bell helicopters collided on Sunday while taking part in efforts to tackle a large wildfire burning on the Attica-Boeotia border.
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