A bystander video showed two firefighting helicopters flying perilously close to each other before colliding in midair, Aug. 2, 2026, while battling a wildfire in Psatha in the Boeotia region of Greece, about 45 miles northwest of Athens. Two crew members in one of the helicopters were killed, authorities said.
Firefighting helicopter collision in Athens kills two
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
- Two others survive emergency landing.
- Aircraft collided during wildfire operations.
- Greece grounds Bell firefighting helicopters.
Two crew members were killed on Sunday when two firefighting helicopters collided in mid-air approximately 65 kilometers (42 miles) west of the Greek capital while battling raging wildfires on the Attica-Boeotia border.
The deceased crew members were identified as a Danish pilot and a Greek fire service liaison officer. A British pilot and a Greek coordinator on board the second aircraft survived the crash.
Video footage of the incident captured one of the two Bell helicopters striking the rotors of the other, causing it to burst into flames and crash into a ravine.
The crew on the first aircraft were recovered unconscious and later pronounced dead, while the surviving crew members were rescued alive from their downed aircraft.
British pilot among survivors
Following established safety protocols, a source from the Greek civil protection ministry told the BBC that all Bell helicopters across the nation have been grounded pending investigation.
The source confirmed that the second helicopter involved executed an emergency landing in an area of low vegetation.
The two occupants -a British private pilot hired specifically for the wildfire season and a Greek liaison officer- escaped with minor injuries.
Both remained conscious and were admitted to a hospital for 24 hours of precautionary observation.
Greek news outlet Ekathimerini reported that the two survivors immediately notified authorities of the collision, guiding search and rescue teams directly to the crash site.
Official authorities have not publicly released the names of the four crew members involved.
The civil protection source noted that the British survivor was independently contracted for seasonal fire suppression and was not part of an official exchange program between the UK and Greece, nor had Athens requested international aid.
Ongoing firefighting operations
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed his "deepest sorrow" following the tragedy, writing on X that the loss of the Greek coordinator and Danish pilot "fills us all with grief" while offering condolences to their families.
John McDermott, founder and president of Australian operator McDermott Aviation, released a statement confirming his company's cooperation with investigators:
"Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families, friends and colleagues of those affected by this tragic incident. McDermott Aviation is working closely with the relevant authorities and will continue to assist as they undertake their investigation into the incident."
Αποχαιρετώ, σήμερα, με συγκίνηση μία προσωπικότητα η οποία σφράγισε όχι μόνο τη διαδρομή της Νέας Δημοκρατίας, αλλά την ίδια την εξέλιξη της Μεταπολίτευσης. Σταθερός, αποφασιστικός και διαρκώς προσηλωμένος στη θεσμική ακεραιότητα, ο Ιωάννης Βαρβιτσιώτης υπήρξε πρωταγωνιστής σε…
— Prime Minister GR (@PrimeministerGR) August 2, 2026
The fatal accident comes amid a severe week of wildfires across Greece that has forced mass evacuations, mirroring intense blazes across other European nations during extended regional heatwaves.
Aerial containment efforts continue using Erickson Air-Crane and Chinook helicopters alongside Canadair water-bombing aircraft.
