{
  "id": 54306,
  "title": "Two die as firefighting helicopters collide in Greece, French blaze changes course",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/02/two-die-as-firefighting-helicopters-collide-in-greece-french-blaze",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-02T19:48:59.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Maverick",
    "slug": "daily-maverick",
    "url": "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-08-02-two-die-as-firefighting-helicopters-collide-in-greece-french-blaze-changes-course/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Two people died when two firefighting helicopters crashed in Greece while attempting to control a massive wildfire that had destroyed over 100 homes northwest of Athens on Sunday. One victim was a Greek national and the other a Danish national. The crew of the second helicopter, which included one Greek and one British person, survived the collision. Investigations are underway to determine the cause of the accident. Wildfires have been ravaging Europe this summer due to record-breaking heatwaves and minimal rainfall, conditions that scientists attribute to climate change. In France, a wildfire in the southwestern Var region initially spread but changed course after a shift in the wind, heading towards a challenging-to-access forested area. Additionally, a fire broke out near the historic city of Carcassonne, possibly sparked by a burning vehicle. In Spain, many wildfires from the previous week were under control, although reignitions were still occurring in certain areas. In Hungary, a heavily drought-stricken region forced the closure of the country's only nuclear power plant for the first time in over 40 years due to extremely low water levels in the Danube River.",
  "summary": "Two firefighting helicopters collided in mid-air while battling wildfires in Greece on Sunday. The incident occurred in the Psatha area, west of Athens, and footage showed one of the helicopters crashing to the ground in flames. According to the Greek fire department, the four crew members were recovered, with two found safe and two unconscious.\n\nThe collision happened as firefighters continued to battle multiple wildfires in Greece, with strong winds hampering efforts to bring the blazes under control. The fires have destroyed more than 100 homes northwest of Athens, and a fresh blaze forced evacuations on the tourist island of Kefalonia.\n\nWildfires have been ravaging Europe this summer, with France and Spain also battling huge fires. In Greece, over 500 firefighters have been struggling to bring the situation under control over the past 72 hours. The Greek prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, warned of \"extremely difficult\" days ahead due to the strong winds.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Associated Press",
        "title": "French wildfire near Bordeaux contained as 1,500 firefighters battle separate blaze in Provence",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/02/french-wildfire-near-bordeaux-contained-as-1-500-firefighters-battle",
        "published": "2026-08-02T10:53:02.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Le Monde English",
        "title": "French wildfire near Bordeaux contained as 1,500 firefighters battle separate blaze in Provence",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/02/french-wildfire-near-bordeaux-contained-as-1-500-firefighters-battle-47958",
        "published": "2026-08-02T12:47:05.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "CNBC",
        "title": "Two die as firefighting helicopters collide in Greece; French blaze changes course",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/02/two-die-as-firefighting-helicopters-collide-in-greece-french-blaze-60178",
        "published": "2026-08-02T22:53:32.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}