Two helicopters collided mid-air on Tuesday while combating wildfires in the Psatha region of Attica, west of Athens, Greece. The BELL helicopters, each carrying two passengers, had departed from the Elefsina military airport.
Video footage captured the moment one aircraft approached the other before the collision, resulting in a fireball and the helicopters plummeting to the ground. Emergency services were immediately dispatched to the scene.
This incident occurred as hundreds of firefighters were battling wind-fueled blazes near Porto Germeno on the Gulf of Corinth, northwest of the capital. Authorities reported that strong winds, with gusts exceeding 73 kph (45 mph), were making the fires spread rapidly and unpredictably. Firefighters on the ground reported that the wind was so powerful it made it difficult to even open their vehicle doors.
Nearly 500 Greek firefighters, supported by emergency crews from France and Romania, have been deployed to the region. The fires have already destroyed over 100 homes and affected areas including a military firing range. In the past week, more than 200 residents from the town of Agios Vasileios were evacuated by sea due to the approaching flames.
Earlier on Friday, approximately 500 people, predominantly tourists, were left stranded near Viotia in central Greece when a fire rapidly spread in strong winds. Residents and holidaymakers were seen boarding boats as rescue teams worked to evacuate them from the area after authorities had previously advised people to move inland.
Wildfires have also impacted the Peloponnese peninsula and the popular tourist islands of Crete, Paros, and Lesvos.
Across Europe, wildfires have been prevalent this summer, exacerbated by successive record-breaking heatwaves that have left vegetation highly flammable. Italy has placed nearly all its major cities on a high-temperature alert, with temperatures expected to reach the mid-30s Celsius. The United Kingdom also experienced a significant wildfire in Suffolk, burning hundreds of acres near a nuclear power station.
High temperatures have also led to a substantial number of heat-related deaths across Europe. Austria recorded 395 heat-related deaths in June, while Britain reported 2,877 deaths and France reported 5,664 excess deaths between mid-June and early July. Germany's health authority noted around 9,800 deaths linked to high temperatures this year. The Foreign Office has advised travelers to Greece to be aware of the high risk of wildfires and to register their mobile phones to receive emergency alerts.