- Two firefighting helicopters collided west of Athens, Greece.
- Greek crews are fighting a wildfire northwest of Athens for a fourth day, with more than 400 firefighters and 21 aircraft deployed near Kandili and Agia Skepi.
- A preliminary investigation said the Boeotia fire was caused by sparks from a private power line, and an electrical engineer and a contractor were arrested.
- Aviation accident investigator Faidon Karaiosifidis stated that the helicopters' formation was not appropriate and their vertical and horizontal separation and descent rate were inadequate.
- The fire service has been overstretched by days of operations, a legacy of a hiring freeze during Greece's 2009-2018 debt crisis, said union head Nikos Lavranos: a rested firefighter is more useful to citizens.
- Europe has been ravaged by wildfires this summer, conditions scientists say have been exacerbated by a fast-changing climate, with France and Spain particularly hard hit.
Two firefighting helicopters collided near Psatha, Greece, on Sunday, leading to the deaths of two crew members. The incident occurred during a critical time as firefighters battled a wildfire northwest of Athens for the fourth consecutive day, exacerbated by strong winds.1
More than 400 firefighters and 21 aircraft were deployed to combat the flames, which have devastated homes, pine forests, and thousands of hectares of farmland. The Greek fire brigade reported that heavy machinery was used to create fire breaks to protect communities from the advancing blaze.2
Authorities are investigating the cause of the mid-air collision, with aviation accident investigator Faidon Karaiosifidis stating, “The only thing we can say at this stage is that the formation of the two helicopters was not appropriate.” He noted that their vertical and horizontal separation, as well as descent rates, were inadequate.4
The wildfire has been fueled by strong and erratic winds, which have hindered water bombers from drawing seawater, leaving ground forces to manage the situation alone. Deputy Climate Crisis Minister Kostas Katsafados emphasized the challenges faced by firefighters, stating that the operations have overstretched a thinly-staffed fire service, a legacy of Greece's past hiring freeze during the 2009-2018 debt crisis.5
Preliminary investigations suggest that the wildfire may have been ignited by sparks from a private power line, leading to the arrest of an electrical engineer and a contractor for arson.3
“Aviation accident investigator Faidon Karaiosifidis said the helicopters' formation was "not appropriate" and their vertical and horizontal separation and descent rate were inadequate. More than 400 firefighters and 21 aircraft deployed near Kandili and Agia Skepi as heavy machinery carved fire breaks to keep the wildfire from reaching homes.”
