Helicopter collision kills two firefighting crew as wildfire west of Athens burns 10,000 hectares
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5 days · 3 summary articles
Helicopter collision kills two firefighting crew as wildfire west of Athens burns 10,000 hectares
Helicopters collide fighting wildfire near Athens as gale-force winds fuel Greece blazes
ContinuationTwo Greek firefighters die battling wildfire on Crete as blazes rage across Southern Europe
Five water-dropping planes and five helicopters took off at first light Monday to assist hundreds of firefighters battling a major wildfire west of Athens, a day after a midair collision between two firefighting helicopters killed two crew members. The collision occurred near the seaside area of Psatha while the helicopters tackled a blaze that started Friday morning, laying bare the dangers at one of Europe’s most volatile wildfire fronts.
The two deceased crew members were a Greek coordinator and a Danish pilot, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said. “The loss of the Greek coordinator and the Danish pilot as they were fighting the major blaze at Porto Germeno fills us all with grief. My sincere condolences to their families,” Mitsotakis stated . The crew of the second helicopter, a Greek and a British national, survived with light injuries after a hospital visit.
The fire raged through pine forests and scrubland over the weekend, fueled by gale-force winds that often grounded water-dropping aircraft. Easing winds on Monday raised hopes that nearly 500 firefighters could halt the flames’ advance, though authorities warned the broader Attica region remained at high risk due to rising temperatures. More than 1,000 people have been evacuated, including over 250 rescued by boats from local beaches. Evacuation orders expanded early Monday to three additional areas as crews worked to create firebreaks in a forest .
Greece’s firefighting department said the blaze apparently began from sparks emitted by a faulty power line transporting electricity from a private wind generator facility to the main grid. Two people—a project designer and a transmission network contractor—were arrested in connection with the incident .
The wildfire has destroyed over 10,000 hectares of forest near Megara, a city of 36,000, and threatened homes, livestock, and agricultural land. Firefighters, army units, and civil protection teams deployed heavy machinery to cut firebreaks, particularly in the densely wooded Kitheron mountain range, where dry vegetation and rugged terrain complicate efforts .
Cyprus offered assistance, with President Nikos Christodoulides stating the country stood ready to support Greece’s battle against the fires . The death toll from Greece’s wildfires this summer now stands at five, including three firefighters killed last week on Crete and the Peloponnese .
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