Two firefighting helicopters collided mid-air while battling a wildfire near Psatha, west of Athens, on Sunday afternoon, Greek media report. The pilot of the second helicopter was killed, the captain of the first made contact with the coordination center, and another crew member was injured. Search and rescue operations are ongoing, with authorities working to confirm the full extent of casualties.
Two firefighting helicopters collided mid-air near Psatha, west of Athens, on Sunday afternoon while battling a wildfire. As of 17:02 Jerusalem, Greek media report that one pilot has been killed and another crew member injured. The captain of one helicopter made contact with the coordination center after the crash, according to MegaNews.
The Zioneer first reported the collision at 16:35 Jerusalem, citing Greek fire services and N12. Within the same hour, reports confirmed at least one pilot killed. The latest update now indicates the second pilot has died and a crew member is injured. Source quality has evolved from initial unconfirmed reports to specific media attributions.
The incident occurred amid ongoing wildfire season in Greece. As The Zioneer reported on Thursday, a Hellenic Air Force F-16 caught fire after an emergency landing on Zakynthos, and an American F-16 caught fire at a US base in Greece, highlighting operational challenges during firefighting efforts.
The full extent of casualties has not been officially confirmed by Greek authorities. The cause of the collision is under investigation, and search and rescue operations are ongoing.
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