Two people died after two firefighting helicopters collided mid-air while operating in Greece, according to officials, with a British pilot among the survivors. The fatalities were a Danish pilot and a Greek fire service liaison officer. A British pilot and another Greek co-ordinator on the second helicopter survived, Greece’s fire service and the government said. Collision West Of AthensFootage from the incident, taken about 65 km (42 miles) west of Athens, showed one of two Bell helicopters striking the other. The impact damaged the aircraft’s propellers, causing it to catch fire and crash into a ravine, while the second helicopter made an emergency landing. Greece’s Fire Service said the helicopters had been leased and were involved in efforts to tackle a large wildfire burning along the Attica-Boeotia border on Sunday. One crew was rescued alive. The crew on the other aircraft was recovered unconscious and later pronounced dead, the fire service said. Survivors Treated After Emergency LandingA civil protection ministry source told the BBC that, under established protocol, all Bell helicopters in Greece were grounded following the collision. The source said the second Bell helicopter made an emergency landing in an area of low vegetation. The two people on board—a British pilot and the Greek liaison officer—escaped with minor injuries. video screenshot Both survivors remained conscious after the crash and were admitted to hospital for observation for 24 hours as a precaution, the source said. The BBC also reported that the British survivor was a private pilot hired for the wildfire season, and that he was not part of an exchange between the UK and Greece, with no request for assistance from Athens. Greece’s Ekathimerini website said the two survivors reported the collision immediately, helping rescuers locate the crash site. The names of all four crew members have not been released. Prime Minister Expresses CondolencesGreek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said he had expressed his “deepest sorrow” over the accident. In a post on X, he said the loss of the Greek coordinator and Danish pilot “fills us all with grief” and sent condolences to their families. Firefighting operations continued elsewhere as authorities dealt with the wider outbreak of wildfires in Greece this week. Erickson Air-Crane and Chinook helicopters, as well as Canadair water-bombing aircraft, were still carrying out operations, officials said. Wider Fire Situation In EuropeEarly this week, France and Spain battled major fires affecting parts of the European heatwave. Two of the largest blazes—one close to Madrid and another near Bordeaux—had been contained, although they were still burning. Some 300,000 people who had been evacuated have begun returning home. In Greece, media reports described a “titanic battle” across a stretch of land covering Porto Germeno, Psatha, Fokida, Megara and Kefalonia. More than 500 firefighters were reported to have been working to bring the fires under control for the past 72 hours. Although many wildfires are started by people, intentionally or accidentally, climate change is increasing the likelihood of conditions that allow fires to spread more easily. Officials said last winter was mild and wet, encouraging vegetation growth, which then dried out during successive hot periods and provided additional fuel for fires. Join the discussion? 3 August 2026
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