VIDEO: Two firefighting helicopters collide near Athens, crew of one killed
Two firefighting helicopters collided today during an operation in the Porto Germeno area near Athens, where strong winds are spreading the fire, authorities said. According to firefighters, both helicopters had two-member crews, and according to initial information, the crew of one helicopter was killed in the accident.
WATCH: 2 firefighting helicopters collide midair in Greece pic.twitter.com/15HP9DUMwa — BNO News Live (@BNODesk) August 2, 2026
Greek media released footage of the moment the two helicopters collided, and according to initial information, the cause of the collision was human error. Both helicopters had been taking part in firefighting operations since the morning and had taken off from Elefsina military airfield.
The crews of both aircraft have been found, and according to unofficial information, the pilot and co-pilot of one helicopter lost their lives.
The pilot of the other helicopter sustained minor injuries and managed to contact the operations center immediately after the collision, reporting the exact location of the crash.
His co-pilot, according to unofficial information, was seriously injured.
All were taken to a hospital in Athens.
The Greek fire service said the helicopters had been leased. Although it was initially reported that the helicopter pilots were Romanian nationals, Greek media later corrected the story.
According to them, a Danish pilot and a Greek coordinator were killed in one helicopter. The other helicopter carried a British pilot and a Greek coordinator, and they were taken to hospital.
Greek media published photos from the crash site, which show that one helicopter crashed onto a local road and the other into a ravine. The aircraft burned up in an explosion that occurred on impact.
Under Greek operational protocols applied when leasing aircraft for firefighting, special rules govern crew composition. The captain of each helicopter is a foreign national, while the positions of liaison officer and flight coordinator are reserved for Greeks.
Under the protocols in force in Greece, all Bell helicopters involved in firefighting have been grounded until further notice after the accident.
Firefighters in Greece are again battling a large forest fire that has destroyed more than 100 homes northwest of Athens, while parts of Kefalonia have been evacuated because of another fire.
Nearly 500 firefighters have been deployed with vehicles, heavy machinery and aircraft, with reinforcements from France and Romania.
This is the second accident involving a leased Bell firefighting helicopter this firefighting season in Greece. The previous accident occurred on June 25, when a helicopter extinguishing a fire in Grevena fell into Lake Aoos in Metsovo while scooping water. There were no injuries in that incident.
