In brief
In a tragic mid‑air collision, two Bell helicopters battling Greek wildfires were struck by each other, resulting in the deaths of a Danish pilot and a Greek fire‐service officer. The other helicopter, piloted by a British private pilot and a Greek coordinator, landed safely with minor injuries. The incident occurred 65 km west of Athens amid a week‑long fire emergency that has prompted mass evacuations across Greece. Authorities have grounded all Bell helicopters nationwide while investigations continue. The loss underscores the heightened risks of firefighting operations during widespread heatwaves.
Two crew members have been killed after two helicopters collided mid‑air in Greece while battling wildfires.
The fatalities were a Danish pilot and a Greek fire‑service liaison officer. A British pilot and another Greek coordinator on the second helicopter survived.
Video of the incident some 65 km (42 miles) west of the capital Athens shows one of the two Bell helicopters hitting the rotors of the other, which bursts into flames and crashes in a ravine. The other aircraft made an emergency landing.
Wildfires have broken out in Greece this week, prompting mass evacuations. Other European states have also suffered devastating blazes during prolonged heatwaves.
According to the Greek Fire Service, the two Bell helicopters leased from Australian company McDermott Aviation collided on Sunday while taking part in efforts to tackle a large wildfire burning on the Attica‑Boeotia border.
The crew members of one aircraft were rescued alive, while the second crew were recovered unconscious and later pronounced dead.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed his "deepest sorrow" over the accident.
In a post on X, he said the loss of the Greek coordinator and Danish pilot "fills us all with grief" and sent condolences to their families.
All Bell helicopters across Greece have been grounded pending investigation. The second Bell helicopter involved made an emergency landing in low vegetation. The British pilot and Greek officer escaped with minor injuries and are under observation at hospital.
John McDermott, founder of McDermott Aviation, offered condolences and affirmed cooperation with authorities. Erickson Air‑Crane, Chinook helicopters, and Canadair water‑bombing aircraft are continuing firefighting efforts.
Earlier this week, France and Spain battled huge fires—two of the main ones were close to Madrid and Bordeaux respectively. Those fires have been contained, though they are still burning. Around 300,000 people who were evacuated have begun returning home.
The Greek wildfire front includes Porto Germeno, Psatha, Fokida, Megara, and Kefalonia, where more than 500 firefighters have fought for the last 72 hours.
Wildfires are often sparked by human activity, but climate change amplifies the risk by drying vegetation during successive heatwaves.
