Two die as firefighting helicopters collide in Greece
Two firefighting helicopters collided in Greece while battling wildfires, resulting in two deaths and two survivors. The incident occurred amidst a summer of severe heatwaves and wildfires across Europe, with investigations into the cause currently underway.
Why it matters
The tragedy highlights the extreme dangers faced by emergency responders during the increasingly frequent and severe wildfire seasons linked to climate change.
Two firefighting helicopters collided in Greece on Sunday while helping control a huge wildfire northwest of Athens that has destroyed more than 100 homes, as people fled another blaze on the tourist island of Kefalonia.
Two people on one helicopter — a Greek and a Danish national — died, while the crew on the other, one person from Greece, one from Britain, survived, the fire service said. Investigations had started into what caused the collision, it added.
Europe has been ravaged by wildfires this summer after a period of record-breaking heatwaves and little rain – conditions that scientists say have been exacerbated by climate change.
Destructive blazes in France and Spain showed some signs of easing over the weekend, but several wildfires have broken out in Greece after a period of relative calm there.
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