Lead

A helicopter crash in Greece has killed two crew members and injured two others, underscoring the hazards faced by emergency crews during an increasingly intense wildfire season in Europe. The collision occurred while the aircraft were fighting blazes near Psatha, northwest of Athens, and came as several countries, including the UK and France, grapple with extreme heat and drought conditions.

Coverage Comparison

Reports from BBC, France 24, and RFI confirm that two helicopters collided in midair on Sunday, with one bursting into flames and both falling into a ravine. The BBC, citing Greek media, reported that the collision occurred about 65 kilometers (42 miles) west of Athens and that two of the four crew members were found unconscious, while the others sustained light injuries. RFI reported that two pilots were killed in the crash, and that the incident occurred near Psatha, northwest of Athens, during a forest firefighting operation.

France 24 provided additional details, identifying the victims as a Danish national and a Greek national who were piloting one of the Bell helicopters. The second helicopter carried a British pilot and a Greek co-pilot, both of whom were injured and taken to hospital. All Bell helicopters involved in the operation have been grounded while authorities investigate the collision. The aircraft were leased from Australian company McDermott Aviation, which had supported Greek fire-fighting operations for seven years, according to France 24.

Key Claims

  • Collision and casualties: All three sources confirm that two helicopters collided while fighting wildfires in Greece. The BBC reported that two crew members were found unconscious and the others sustained light injuries; RFI and France 24 reported that two pilots were killed. France 24 specified that the deceased were a Danish and a Greek national, and that two others were hospitalized.
  • Firefighting and wind conditions: RFI reported that nine water-bombing aircraft and nine helicopters were supporting approximately 450 firefighters at three fronts at Psatha, Kryo Pigadi, and Kandyli. The aircraft had been grounded earlier due to powerful winds, with gusts reaching up to 130 kilometers per hour around Porto Germeno. The BBC noted that strong winds have hampered efforts to control several fires that broke out in Greece this week, prompting evacuations.
  • Risk level and evacuations: RFI reported that the fire risk in the Attica region and neighboring Boeotia remained at level four on a five-point scale. Further evacuations were ordered near Kandyli on Monday, according to France 24. More than 1,000 people have been evacuated from around the seaside resort of Porto Germeno and other areas west of Athens, including more than 250 rescued by boats, France 24 reported.
  • EU crisis chief's call: RFI reported that the EU crisis chief called for prevention funding as the wildfire crisis continues across Europe.
  • Climate and drought: The BBC noted that climate change is making conditions for wildfires more common, with a mild, wet winter encouraging vegetation growth that has dried out in successive hot spells. France 24 reported that a record-breaking hot and dry summer has tightened its grip on Europe, with the UK recording its driest July in nearly two centuries. The Met Office said that all of Wales and more than half of England are officially in drought.
  • France wildfires: France 24 reported that thousands of evacuees were allowed to return home in France after a massive wildfire remained contained. The BBC also noted that fires near Madrid and Bordeaux had been contained, though still burning, and some 300,000 people who were evacuated have started to return to their homes.

Perspectives

  • Greek authorities: Greece's Deputy Minister for Civil Protection and Climate Crisis, Kostas Katsafados, told public broadcaster ERT, "The fight against the fires is uneven," according to RFI.
  • EU institutions: The EU crisis chief called for prevention funding as the wildfire crisis rages on, as reported by RFI.