Helicopter Collision While Fighting Greece Wildfires
Video shows the unfortunate mid‑air collision that struck the propellers of one aircraft, setting it ablaze and causing both helicopters to plummet into a ravine. The wreckage was found 65 km (42 miles) west of Athens, placing it in the Psatha area, a region under a severe “titanic” fire fight regime.
Both aircraft carried four crew members – two Greeks and two Romanians – who were reported to have suffered unconsciousness and minor injuries; all are currently being treated at the 251st Air Force General Hospital. Early reports suggest that the collision was exacerbated by high winds that have severely hampered firefighting operations across the island.
The Greek wildfires of this year, fuelled by a mild, wet winter that promoted dense vegetation followed by successive heat spells, have claimed thousands of properties and forced many to evacuate. Other European nations, notably France and Spain, have also been wrestling with large-scale fires, with recent outbreaks near Madrid and Bordeaux now largely contained. Evacuees from France and Spain are beginning to return home as containment efforts strengthen.
The collision underscores the mounting risk posed by climate‑driven conditions that increase the likelihood of wildfires and the complexity of aerial firefighting missions.
