Two firefighting helicopters collided in midair west of Athens on Sunday while supporting wildfire suppression in Greece, killing two crew members and leaving two others alive. The leased aircraft, operated for the Greek fire service, came down in the Psatha area of western Attica as crews battled a large blaze driven by strong winds and extreme heat.
Greek authorities identified the fatalities as a Danish pilot and a Greek firefighting coordinator. The two survivors were a British pilot and a Greek crew member or coordinator, both of whom were hospitalized. One helicopter crashed in flames after the collision, while the other remained airborne long enough to dump water and move away from the scene.
The aircraft had taken off from Elefsina military airport for the mission, and the fire service grounded Bell helicopters in the area pending investigation, according to follow-up reports. The cause of the collision has not been established. The incident unfolded against a wider wildfire emergency across Greece, where hundreds of fires have strained aerial and ground resources.