Two helicopters collide mid-air while tackling wildfires in Greece

Two Greek firefighting helicopters collided midair on Sunday while combating a wind-driven wildfire near Athens, resulting in one aircraft crashing to the ground, as captured on video. Operating over the Psatha region west of Athens, each Bell helicopter had a two-person crew. Tragically, two crew members—Greek and Danish—perished in the crash, while the remaining two, a Greek and a British national, were rescued alive.

It remains unclear if the deceased were on the same helicopter. The collision highlighted the peril at the most volatile front of Europe's wildfire crisis. Intense winds accelerated the flames deeper into the Greek capital's area and prompted fresh evacuations. The fire ignited on Friday near Agios Vasileios, rapidly spreading towards Porto Germeno and into the forested mountains west of Athens.

Firefighters evacuated 254 individuals by sea on Friday and an additional 12 on Saturday, often the last escape route when fire and smoke obstructed the few roads leading from coastal communities. Approximately 500 firefighters and 23 aircraft have been dispatched to combat the fire, yet gale-force winds incinerated dry forests and hampered the response, preventing some aircraft from accessing the sea to gather water.

The rapid advance ignited flames through western Attica, the region encompassing Athens, threatening communities and an industrial district as powerful gusts hindered firefighting aircraft from collecting water from the sea. The situation evoked a somber reminder in a region where the 2018 Mati wildfire, Europe's deadliest in the current century, claimed 104 lives.

Authorities mandated evacuations of Kandili, Agia Skepi, and Toutouli as smoke ascended over the mountains. Crews were particularly vigilant regarding Porto Germeno, a seaside community on the Gulf of Corinth. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was briefed on the operations. Elsewhere in Greece, flames threatened homes on Kefalonia, compelling evacuations from inland areas as aircraft delivered water drops over the Ionian island.

Firefighters also grappled with another blaze near Nea Tenedos in Halkidiki. Earlier this week, two firefighters perished while battling a fire on Crete, while a third succumbed in the Peloponnese. The pristine forest, a paradise, succumbed to the flames, lamented local farmer Minas Tzortzanis on Saturday. There are no words to describe what has transpired—an utter destruction.