Two firefighting helicopters collided in mid-air while responding to a wildfire in western Greece, leaving two crew members dead. The crash happened near Porto Germeno, an area west of Athens, as aircraft were working against a fast-moving blaze.
According to the available details, both victims were on one of the two helicopters involved in the collision. The aircraft had been deployed to battle a wind-driven fire, highlighting the dangerous conditions facing emergency crews during intense summer wildfire outbreaks.
The accident comes as Europe faces a severe wildfire emergency, with Greece, France and Spain among the countries under the greatest pressure. Across the region, fires have threatened homes and land, and entire communities have been forced to flee as authorities try to contain rapidly spreading flames.
In Greece, the deadly collision near Athens adds to the strain on firefighting operations already stretched by extreme fire conditions. The incident underlines the risks faced not only by residents in threatened areas, but also by the air and ground crews sent in to confront the blazes.
