2 firefighting helicopters collide midair near Athens as Europe's wildfire emergency rages

Tragedy struck Greece's firefighting efforts on Sunday when two helicopters battling a wind-driven wildfire west of Athens collided in midair. Footage showed one aircraft crashing to the ground. The Greek fire department reported that all four crew members were recovered, with two conscious and two unconscious. This collision underscores the extreme dangers faced by emergency crews during Europe's escalating wildfire crisis. Fierce winds fanned flames across western Attica, threatening communities and an industrial zone near Megara, and hindering aerial firefighting operations. The region is still haunted by the memory of the 2018 Mati wildfire, which claimed 104 lives and remains Europe's deadliest blaze this century. Meanwhile, France is grappling with a massive wildfire that has forced the evacuation of 224,000 people, potentially the largest civilian evacuation outside wartime. Hot spots continue to burn within a vast scorched area, leaving thousands displaced. Spain is also contending with significant fires, though some have stopped advancing. Across Europe, fires have displaced hundreds of thousands of people during the peak summer season, straining emergency services. This year's fires follow Europe's worst fire year on record in 2025, with over 10,000 square kilometers burned. Scientists attribute the extreme fire-weather conditions to human-caused climate change, which has warmed Europe at more than twice the global average since the 1980s.

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The four crew members were recovered after the collision, the Greek fire department said, adding that two were recovered safely, while the other two were unconscious.