Two firefighting helicopters collide over Greek wildfires

Footage released on Tuesday captured the moment two firefighting helicopters collided while conducting aerial operations over a rapidly spreading wildfire in central Greece. The incident occurred at approximately 14:30 local time near the town of Karytaina, where a forest fire that ignited on Monday has forced the evacuation of several villages and prompted the deployment of multiple ground and air units. Both aircraft, a Eurocopter AS350 and a Mil Mi-8, were operating under the direction of the Hellenic Fire Service when the mid‑air impact was recorded by a nearby news crew.

Emergency responders recovered the wreckage and confirmed that all eight crew members aboard the two helicopters were killed, prompting a national day of mourning and an immediate investigation by the Hellenic Air Force and the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection. Authorities have suspended all aerial firefighting missions in the region pending a safety review, while ground teams continue to combat the blaze, which has already consumed over 2,000 hectares of forest and shrubland. The tragedy highlights the heightened risks faced by emergency personnel during Greece’s increasingly severe wildfire season.