[Sportschosun reporter Jang Jong-ho] A tragic accident occurred in Greece when two helicopters deployed to fight wildfires collided in midair, killing two people.
According to foreign media outlets, including the Daily Mail, the two helicopters dispatched for wildfire suppression collided on the 2nd local time near Psatha in Attica Province, about 68 kilometers west of Athens, Greece.
Each helicopter was carrying two people, for a total of four. The crash killed a Greek fire liaison officer and a Danish pilot, while a British pilot and a Greek fire official were injured.
Video taken at the scene showed one helicopter slowly approaching the other before their rotors collided, sending both aircraft into a massive fireball as they plunged into a valley.
Immediately after the crash, Greek fire authorities suspended operations of the Bell helicopters involved and launched an investigation to determine the exact cause.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in a statement, "The deaths of the Greek coordinator and the Danish pilot who lost their lives while fighting the Porto Germeno wildfire have brought deep sorrow to everyone," and expressed condolences to the bereaved families.
With this accident, the death toll linked to wildfires in Greece this week has risen to five. Earlier, three firefighters also lost their lives while battling blazes on Crete and in the Peloponnese.
Greek authorities are currently continuing firefighting efforts with about 500 firefighters and support personnel dispatched from France and Romania. However, strong winds have spread the flames, and more than 100 homes have been destroyed so far.
Jang Jong-ho bellho@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
