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Two Helicopters Collide Battling Forest Fires Near Athens; Pilots Die
🇱🇻 Latvia /Disasters & Emergencies

Two Helicopters Collide Battling Forest Fires Near Athens; Pilots Die

From Delfi Latvia · () Latvian

Translated from Latvian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • Two helicopters collided near Athens while battling a forest fire, resulting in the deaths of both pilots from one aircraft.
  • The pilots, one Greek and one Danish, were transported to a hospital where their deaths were confirmed.
  • The collision occurred after takeoff from Elefsina military airport, and the fire has destroyed over 10,000 hectares of forest west of Athens.

A tragic mid-air collision occurred near Athens, Greece, when two helicopters engaged in firefighting efforts crashed into each other. The incident resulted in the deaths of both pilots aboard one of the aircraft.

According to the Fire Service Department, the two "Bell" helicopters, each carrying two crew members, collided shortly after taking off from the Elefsina military airport. One pilot, a Greek national, and the other, a Danish citizen, were rushed to a local hospital, where their fatalities were confirmed.

The fire itself, located approximately 50 kilometers west of Athens, has raged uncontrollably since Friday, spreading rapidly and consuming an estimated 10,000 hectares of forest. The blaze has also destroyed homes, sheds, and agricultural land. Wildfires are also being reported in France and Spain, indicating a broader regional challenge with extreme weather conditions.

Both pilots - a Greek citizen and a Danish citizen - were taken to the hospital, where their deaths were confirmed.

— Fire Service Department spokespersonConfirming the fatalities of the pilots involved in the helicopter collision.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Delfi Latvia in Latvian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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