Helicopter crash on Greek island kills pilot and British honeymoon couple
A private helicopter crashed on the Greek island of Sifnos on Monday, killing all three people on board, according to the Greek fire service.
The aircraft, a Bell 206, went down near the Tholos region shortly after takeoff from a local heliport, bursting into flames and sending a column of dark smoke into the sky. Witnesses reported hearing an unusual noise before the crash, and video footage circulating on social media showed the helicopter spinning in the air moments before impact .
Authorities identified the victims as pilot Giorgos Raikos, 55, a former Greek Army aviator with extensive experience, and a newlywed British couple, Alexander Cromie and Marie Ebert, who were on the island for their honeymoon . The fire service was alerted shortly after 18:15 local time and dispatched rescue crews to the scene.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation, with Greece’s National Air and Rail Accident Investigation and Transport Safety Authority leading the probe. Early theories include a possible tail rotor failure, as the helicopter was observed spinning uncontrollably before the crash, according to local reports . Manolis Fountoulakis, deputy mayor of Sifnos, told ERT news that residents described hearing a mechanical noise from the aircraft before it went down .
The crash follows another deadly helicopter incident in Greece earlier this month, when two firefighting helicopters collided near Athens while battling wildfires, killing two people. The first helicopter, carrying a Greek and a Danish national, was struck by the rotor of a second aircraft, which managed an emergency landing. Both survivors were a Briton and a Greek .
Sifnos, part of the Cyclades archipelago, has a permanent population of around 2,600 but is a popular tourist destination. The island’s heliport is surrounded by scattered homes, and the crash site was close to residential areas .
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Na gréckom ostrove Sifnos sa zrútil vyhliadkový vrtuľník, zahynuli traja ľudia Súkromný vyhliadkový vrtuľník sa krátko po štarte zrútil pri ostrove Sifnos. Tragédia si vyžiadala troch mŕtvych a príčina pádu zostáva nejasná.
aktuality.sk · about 3 hours ago
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protothema · about 3 hours ago
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digi24 · about 6 hours ago
Three killed after private helicopter crashes on Greek island of Sifnos Video footage circulating on social media appears to show the site of the crash, with flames and plumes of dark smoke visible on a hillside.
euronews · about 6 hours ago
Ποιος ήταν ο πιλότος που έχασε τη ζωή του στη συντριβή του ελικοπτέρου στη Σίφνο - Νιόπαντρο ζευγάρι από τη Βρετανία οι επιβάτες Ο Γιώργος Ράικος προερχόταν από τις τάξεις του Στρατού, όπου είχε αποκτήσει σημαντική πτητική εμπειρία, πριν συνεχίσει την επαγγελματική του διαδρομή ως χειριστής ελικοπτέρων - Ο Alexander Cromie και η Marie Ebert είχαν επιλέξει να ταξιδέψουν στη Σίφνο για το γαμήλιο ταξίδι τους
protothema · about 7 hours ago
Drie mensen omgekomen bij helikoptercrash op Grieks eiland Sifnos Een helikopter is maandag neergestort bij een helikopterplatform op het Griekse eiland Sifnos. De drie inzittenden zijn omgekomen.
nu.nl · about 8 hours ago
Three people were killed in a helicopter crash on the Greek island of Sifnos The helicopter crashed shortly after taking off, killing the pilot and two passengers, the officials said. The cause of the crash is not yet known. Images broadcast on local media showed what appeared to be the crash site on an arid hillside, where a ball of flame created a column of dark smoke.
cyprus mail · about 9 hours ago
Kreikka | Helikopteri putosi Kreikan saarella: kolme kuollut Turma sattui Sífnosin saarella.
helsingin sanomat · about 9 hours ago
Three killed in helicopter crash on popular Greek island Fire brigade officials confirmed on Monday that three people lost their lives in the helicopter crash
independent · about 9 hours ago