Firefighting Helicopters Collide over Greek Wildfire

Two firefighting helicopters collided on Sunday while battling a forest fire west of Athens, Greece. The crew of one helicopter was found alive, while rescue workers are still searching for the crew of the other.

The accident occurred during an operation near the Psatha area in the Attica Region. According to available information, one of the helicopters crashed and caught fire after the collision, while the other continued flying after dropping its water load.

The fire northwest of Athens has already destroyed more than 100 homes. Driven by strong winds, the flames spread across the mountain range to the village of Veniza and a military firing range, where they ignited unexploded ordnance.

Firefighters are trying to prevent the fires from advancing toward the coastal city of Megara, which has a population of approximately 30,000.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said that the intensity of the fires and the extreme weather conditions sometimes exceed the capabilities of emergency responders.

Meanwhile, a new fire has also broken out on the popular tourist island of Kefalonia, where authorities have ordered the evacuation of several villages.

(Reuters, est)