Four crew members were involved in the collision in the Psatha area, west of Athens; Two were killed, while the remaining two were rescued and taken to a nearby hospital, the Greek fire service said. Television footage showed one of the helicopters explode and crash to the ground in flames following an apparent rotor collision.

Wildfires rage across Greece

The helicopters were part of an operation to contain a massive wildfire that has already destroyed over 100 homes in the region; the blaze, fueled by gale-force winds, had also reached a military firing range in the area of Porto Germeno, activating unexploded ordnance. More than 10,000 hectares (24,200 acres) of land had likely been destroyed, according to the Greek daily Protothema.

Residents in the village of Agios Konstantinos were actively helping to contain the fire, though Tasos Tzempelikos, 61, said: “The fire has been burning since last night; it is certain that they cannot have forces everywhere. We as residents are doing everything we can.”

International support and climate concerns

Nearly 500 firefighters were deployed to the area, with additional reinforcements arriving from France and Romania. Officials temporarily ordered all Bell helicopters involved in the firefighting efforts to land following the mid-air collision. Operations continued with other aircraft available, according to Ekathimerini.

This summer has seen record-breaking heat and little rain across Europe, conditions scientists say have been worsened by climate change. Wildfires have ravaged parts of France and Spain, with Greece experiencing a resurgence of blazes after a period of relative calm. In addition to the mainland fires, another blaze on the popular tourist island of Kefalonia forced evacuations.

Efforts to contain the spread

Flames from the Porto Germeno fire had reached the settlement of Veniza and threatened the nearby coastal town of Megara. Gale-force winds that fueled the fire have subsided, but authorities remained concerned about the fire spreading further. The government is coordinating with local communities and international partners to manage the ongoing crisis.

“We as residents are doing everything we can,” Tzempelikos added. The incident highlights the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires in the region, which have been linked to rising temperatures and prolonged droughts.