A dramatic mid‐air collision occurred today, Sunday 2 August, between two helicopters taking part in firefighting operations on a forest fire near Psatha, west of Athens. The pilot and co‐pilot of one of the aircraft were killed. “Both crew members were taken to hospital unconscious, where their deaths were confirmed,” said fire service spokesman Vassilis Vathrakogiannis. The crew of the second helicopter were reported uninjured. Television footage showed one helicopter explode and crash to the ground in flames after an apparent rotor collision (VIDEO).
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the country is facing “extreme weather conditions” with winds reaching up to 100 kilometres per hour. “When winds blow with such force, not even the dozens of aircraft at our disposal can operate safely,” he wrote on Facebook.
A social‐media post and video showed two rescue helicopters colliding while fighting a forest fire.
Both aircraft reportedly crashed into a ravine. One pilot was able to make contact and was unharmed, while another person was reported injured.
The status of the crew of the second helicopter remained unclear in initial reports.
A video of the incident was shared online: pic.twitter.com/iQ4U6xnvam
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) August 2, 2026
Update on the fires
The wildfires in Greece continue to spread, although wind strength has begun to ease. So far more than 12,000 hectares of forest and agricultural land have burned. The National Observatory reported that 6,500 hectares were lost in the Gulf of Corinth area, up to Porto Germeno near Athens. An additional 6,000 hectares burned on the islands of Crete and Paros.
Firefighters are “at the limit” of their capacity, said the Minister for Civil Protection, Evangelos Tournas. He explained that the strong winds create “extremely difficult conditions,” preventing aircraft from being able to collect or drop water safely because of severe turbulence. The Athens area, Boeotia and the island of Evia remain at the highest level of alert.
Nearly 500 firefighters are battling blazes near Porto Germeno, about 70 kilometres northwest of Athens, working to prevent the fires from reaching the western outskirts of the capital. Around 100 firefighters are tackling another blaze in Aigialeia in northern Peloponnese. A new fire broke out late last night on the island of Cephalonia in the Ionian Sea; a 44‐year‐old man was arrested today on suspicion of deliberately starting that fire.