Two helicopters engaged in firefighting efforts collided on Sunday while operating in the Psatha area, located west of Athens. Following the incident, the fire service confirmed that search and rescue teams were immediately deployed to locate and assist the flight crews involved.
The crash occurs as Greece faces a weekend of intense wildfire activity across multiple regions. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has issued warnings regarding upcoming days described as extremely difficult, with weather conditions featuring winds reaching speeds of 100 kilometres per hour. Currently, nearly 500 firefighters are working to contain blazes near the coastal village of Porto Germeno, northwest of Athens. Additional fires have also been reported in the northern Peloponnese and on the island of Cephalonia.
The ongoing crisis has already taken a significant toll on emergency personnel, with three firefighters having died in the line of duty this week—two in Crete and one in the Peloponnese. The civil protection minister stated that the fire service is currently being pushed to its limits due to the widespread nature of the blazes.
