Watch: Firefighting helicopters collide mid-air as Greece battles massive wildfire
Two firefighting helicopters collided mid-air while battling a severe wildfire in the Attica region of Greece. Authorities confirmed that the crew of one helicopter is safe, while search-and-rescue operations continue for the second.
Why it matters
This incident underscores the extreme operational risks faced by emergency responders during Greece's intensifying wildfire crisis.
Two firefighting helicopters collided while battling a major wildfire in the Attica region west of Athens on Sunday, as crews worked to contain a blaze that has destroyed more than 100 homes and scorched thousands of hectares amid Greece’s intensifying wildfire emergency.A video circulating online appeared to show the aircraft crossing paths at low altitude before one crashed in flames.The two helicopters were approaching each other during a water-dropping operation near Psatha, west of Athens. The lower helicopter’s main rotor appeared to strike the underside of the aircraft above it before it crashed in flames, while the second helicopter released its water load and flew away.Greek government officials said the crew of one helicopter had been located and were safe, with ambulances on the way to pick them up.
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