In brief
In the early hours of Sunday, two Bell helicopters engaged in firefighting operations collided over a ravine 65 km west of Athens, killing a Danish pilot and a Greek liaison officer. A British pilot and a Greek co‑ordinator survived with minor injuries, and were taken to hospital for observation. The crash, captured on video, shows a rotor strike that ignites flames before the aircraft crashes. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed his deepest sorrow and condolences were sent by McDermott Aviation, the operators of the lost aircraft. Greece continues to battle a widespread wildfire crisis that has prompted mass evacuations.
Two crew members were killed when two Bell helicopters collided over the Attica–Boeotia border while fighting a wildfire threatening Athens.
A Danish pilot and a Greek fire‑service liaison officer lost their lives. A British pilot and his Greek co‑ordinator survived with minor injuries and were taken to hospital for observation.
Video footage shows one helicopter’s rotors striking the other, igniting flames and causing a crash into a ravine. The second aircraft performed an emergency landing on a low‑vegetation hillside.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed his "deepest sorrow" over the tragedy, and McDermott Aviation’s founder extended condolences to the families.
The incident underscores the escalating wildfire crisis in Greece, which has forced mass evacuations and led to a dramatic firefighting effort.
