Summary

  • Two crew have died after two firefighting helicopters collided in Greece

  • A British pilot and a Greek crew member survived the crash, and have been taken to hospital for treatment

  • Greek PM, Kyriakos Mitsotakis has shared condolences and his "deepest sorrow" following the incident

  • The two people killed were a Danish pilot and a Greek fire service liaison officer

  • The collision happened in Psatha, a coastal area west of Athens, on Sunday

  • Greece is one of several European countries suffering wildfires - high winds are likely to be behind the fires' "rapid growth" says our weather presenter

  • Earlier on Sunday, Mitsotakis had said that the country is facing extreme weather conditions and warned of "extremely difficult" days ahead

Live Reporting

Edited by Jamie Whitehead

  1. Helicopters collide fighting wildfires in Greece, killing two

    Katie Williams
    Live reporter

    Firefighters at the site of the crashEPA

    A Danish pilot and a Greek fire service liaison officer have died after two firefighting helicopters collided in a region west of Athens earlier today.

    The second helicopter made an emergency landing and its two crew escaped with minor injuries, according to a government source.

    The survivors - a British pilot and a Greek crew member - have been taken to hospital for treatment.

    Greece's PM has shared his "deepest sorrow" following the incident, while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said it "takes a special courage to fly towards the flames".

    Fires have broken out in numerous locations across Greece in recent days, we've mapped them here.

    We are now closing our live coverage; you can read more in our story.

  2. 'It takes a special courage to fly towards the flames,' says European Commission president

    European Commission President Ursula von der LeyenGetty Images

    President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, says her thoughts are with the friends and families of the Greek and Danish crew members who died following the helicopter collision.

    "It takes a special courage to fly towards the flames so that others can be safe. As we continue to battle these fires side by side, Europe grieves with Greece and Denmark," she says.

    She also wishes the two survivors a "full recovery".

  3. Helicopter made emergency landing in vegetation

    Nikos Papanikolaou
    BBC News

    A source from the Greek Ministry of Civil Protection has told the BBC that the second helicopter involved in the collision made an emergency landing in an area of low vegetation.

    The two people on board - a British pilot and a Greek fire service liaison officer - escaped with minor injuries, they said.

  4. Burned-out helicopter pictured near side of road after crash

    Firefighters work at the site where firefighting helicopters crashed, during a fire in the wider region of Megara, West Attica, GreeceEPA

    Images show firefighters working near the helicopter crash site in Attica earlier today.

    The charred remains of one helicopter can be seen lying next to the road with smoke rising.

    As we've been reporting, two helicopters - each with two crew - collided earlier today while fighting the fires. Two of the crew have died, while the two others are in hospital.

    Firefighters work at the site where firefighting helicopters crashed during a fire in the wider region of Megara, West Attica, GreeceEPA

  5. Strong winds creating 'extremely difficult' conditions, says Greece’s chief fire officer

    Greece’s chief fire officer Vasilios Vathrakoyannis has delivered a general update on the fires this evening.

    He started by expressing his "sincere condolences" to the families of the two crew members who died when two firefighting helicopters collided.

    Vathrakoyannis says forces are operating for a third day to tackle the large fire in the Attica-Boeotia area. Conditions have been "extremely difficult" with strong winds meaning aircraft were unable to operate at times.

    Conditions improved shortly before noon, with an order given for eight aircraft and 20 helicopters to operate periodically, he says.

    The cause of this helicopter crash remains unclear, and it is not known whether weather conditions contributed.

    Fires have also affected other parts of the country, including areas such as Paros, Crete and Kefalonia.

    Across Greece, 220 agro-forest fires have broken out since Monday 27 July, Vathrakoyannis says.

  6. Strong winds likely behind wildfire spread in Greece

    Stav Danaos
    BBC Weather

    Firefighters battle a wildfire near the Agia Paraskevi village, GreeceReuters

    Unlike much of western and southwestern Europe, Greece has experienced a relatively average summer so far, with no significant or prolonged heatwaves and temperatures that are typical for a Greek summer.

    Despite the absence of extreme temperatures, the current wildfires have been fuelled by a combination of dry vegetation and more especially, strong winds.

    The most significant factor in the current fires' rapid growth has been the Meltemi - the dry, gusty northerly winds that commonly affect Greece during July and August.

    In some of the affected areas, gusts have reached 80 - 100 km/h, (49-62mph) fanning flames, carrying burning embers far ahead of the main fire front and igniting new spot fires.

    These powerful winds can also cause fires to change direction with little warning, making evacuations more challenging and limiting the ability of firefighters, particularly aircraft, to safely and effectively contain the blazes.

    In contrast to Greece, much of western and southwestern Europe - including Spain, Portugal, France and parts of Italy - has experienced repeated episodes of extreme heat this summer, with temperatures exceeding 40°C, leaving vegetation exceptionally dry and highly susceptible to wildfire.

    Looking ahead through the rest of this week, Greece is expected to remain hot but largely free of extreme heat, with the greatest wildfire threat continuing to come from persistent Meltemi winds interacting with dry vegetation.

    Across southern Europe more broadly, above-average temperatures and predominantly dry conditions are forecast to persist, maintaining an elevated risk of fires to spread once ignited.

  7. Two dead and two survive after helicopters collide fighting wildfires near Athens

    Katie Williams
    Live reporter

    Two crew have died after two helicopters collided earlier today while fighting wildfires west of Athens.

    Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced the deaths in a social media post a short while ago, describing the deceased as a Greek coordinator and a Danish pilot.

    Two other crew were also involved in the collision but have survived - a British pilot and a Greek fire service liaison officer, according to authorities.

    Mitsotakis has expressed his "deepest sorrow" over the incident.

    The helicopters were fighting fires in the wider area of ​​Psatha, Attica, when they collided. Two crew were onboard each one, the fire service said.

    Fires have been burning across large parts of Greece this summer, with Greek meteorologist Theodore Giannaros telling the BBC earlier that more than 100,000 hectares of land have been burned.

  8. Where are the wildfires in Greece?

    Map of southern Greece showing wildfire activity recorded by NASA FIRMS up to 2 August. Dark red dots mark fires active in the last 24 hours and are heavily concentrated around Psatha, west of Athens, where the largest cluster is visible. Smaller active fire clusters appear near Patras on the Gulf of Corinth and on the island of Kefalonia. Pale red dots indicate fires detected since 26 July, scattered across the wider region, including around Athens, central Greece and parts of the Peloponnese. Source: Nasa Firms data.

    Wildfires have been raging across large parts of Greece.

    Dark red dots on the map show fires active in the last 24 hours, and are heavily concentrated around Psatha, west of Athens, where the largest cluster is visible.

    Smaller active fire clusters also appear on the map near Patras on the Gulf of Corinth and on the island of Kefalonia.

    Earlier this week, hundreds were evacuated in central Greece from a coastal town hemmed in by one of the many wildfires raging across the country. Around 500 people, mostly tourists, were left stranded after the fire broke out near Agios Vasileios in Viotia, local media reported.

    Other affected areas have included Crete, Paros, Andros and Kalymnos.

    In a statement this morning, Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis said "extreme weather conditions and winds" had contributed to an "extremely difficult" situation.

    This has meant it has not always been possible to carry out water drops due to "extreme turbulence", he said.

  9. In pictures: Residents and firefighters tackle blazes burning fields and houses

    The two helicopters that crashed were working to tackle wildfires in Psatha, but blazes are affecting areas across Greece, including Kefalonia and Patras.

    House burning in Greece, with flames and smoke visibleAFP via Getty Images

    A local resident (left) tries to extinguish a fire that has broken out at his house in the Megara region, west of Athens

    Man trying to extinguish flames coming into his homeAFP via Getty Images

    He battles flames close to entering his home

    A fire truck driving through a field with a huge red and black smokey fire blazing behind and throwing smoke into the airAFP via Getty Images

    Firefighters drive a fire truck as they attempt to extinguish a wildfire in the Veniza area, west of Athens

    Tractor drives through a field trying to put out bush fires with sky filled with smokeAFP via Getty Images

    An excavator is used in the same area to try and tackle the flames

  10. Footage shows moment before helicopters collide

    Footage captured of the two helicopters shows the moment before the pair collided, in a crash that caused the death of two crew.

    As we've reported, a British pilot and Greek fire service liaison officer survived the collision.

    Flames and smoke plumes following the crash have also been filmed in the footage below.

    Moment before helicopters collide while tackling Greece wildfires

  11. British pilot survives after helicopters crash while tackling fires
    Breaking

    Nikos Papanikolaou
    BBC News

    A British pilot has survived after two firefighting helicopters collided while tackling a wildfire near Psatha, west of Athens, Greek authorities say.

    The British pilot and a Greek fire service liaison officer from the second helicopter were rescued and taken to the 251 Air Force General Hospital in Athens for treatment.

    The two people killed were a Danish pilot and a Greek fire service liaison officer.

    According to the Greek Fire Service, the two leased Bell helicopters collided while taking part in efforts to tackle a large wildfire burning on the Attica-Boeotia border.

    Four people were onboard the two aircraft in total – two Greek nationals and two foreign nationals. Two were rescued alive, while the other two were recovered unconscious and were pronounced dead.

  12. Greece PM expresses 'deepest sorrow' for two who died in helicopter crash

    We can now bring you more of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' statement on the helicopter crash which caused the death of two people.

    He expresses his "deepest sorrow" for the "tragic accident" in a post on X.

    Mitsotakis said the loss of a Greek coordinator and Danish pilot while they were operating in the "major fire" at Porto Germeno "fills us all with grief", adding that he sends condolences to their families.

  13. Two die in helicopter collision, Greek PM says
    Breaking

    Two people have died in the crash between two helicopters in Greece, the country's prime minister has confirmed.

    The fire service said earlier that the helicopters involved were fighting wildfires west of Athens, in the wider area of Psatha, Attica.

    We'll bring you more from the prime minister in the next post.

  14. Thousands evacuated from holiday island Crete this week

    People on a beach in Grete shielding their faces from the sky where lots of smoke is blowingEPA/Shutterstock

    Residents and tourists were evacuated from several villages in Crete earlier this week

    Fires have burned across multiple areas of Greece already this summer, prompting thousands to be evacuated.

    One of those areas is the island of Crete, where a fire broke out on Wednesday and spread rapidly, destroying homes and agricultural land.

    Flames fanned by strong winds led to around 8,000 people being evacuated from their homes overnight - they were later allowed to return.

    Two firefighters died on the island on Wednesday when they became trapped while tackling a fire near Krya Vrysi in the Rethymno region.

  15. Wildfires have ravaged parts of Spain and France this summer

    Wildfires in France and Spain forced mass evacuations last month, but the situation in both countries now largely appears to have been brought under control.

    In the Gironde region in France, the fire at one point came within kilometres of Bordeaux, but the region's prefect Sophie Brocas has since described the situation as "stable".

    "The fire has been secured since yesterday morning," she said in a social media post on Saturday, though cautioned it was not yet extinguished.

    A separate blaze flared up again in the Var region on Friday, but was described as being contained over most of its perimeter in an update today.

    In Spain, the government lifted the state of emergency over the fires on Thursday.

    A woman looks on as smoke rises from a wildfire in Madrid last month, 26 July 2026Reuters

    A woman looks on as smoke rises from a wildfire in Madrid last month

    A firefighter works to contain a major wildfire near Saumos, Gironde department, France, 29 July 2026EPA

    A firefighter, pictured on 29 July, works to contain a major blaze in France's Gironde region

    A firefighting helicopter drops water on the blaze in Var on Saturday, 1 AugustReuters

    A firefighting helicopter drops water on the blaze in Var on Saturday

  16. Firefighters working in 'very difficult conditions' - expert tells BBC

    Theodore Giannaros

    Meteorologist Theodore Giannaros tells the BBC News channel that the crews dealing with the fire in which the two helicopters crashed are "working under very, very difficult conditions".

    "Since last Wednesday, my country is experiencing very bad fire weather," he says, adding that the fire has already burned more than 100,000 hectares of land in Greece.

    "So conditions are very difficult, and both crews on the ground and through the air experience all this difficulty in containing this large event."

    He also says climate change "sets the stage for larger and more intense wildfires due to the increased heatwaves, more dry vegetation and drought", but in the end, fire "also comes to human activity, either negligence or arson".

  17. Where is Psatha, the area where the collision occurred?

    According to the fire service, the helicopters collided in the wider area of ​​Psatha, Attica, a coastal area west of Athens.

    Firefighters have been battling wildfires in the region, along with several other parts of the country.

    Map of western Attica in Greece showing Psatha, a coastal area about 50km west of Athens, where the two helicopters are reported to have collided.

  18. Countries battling wildfires across Europe amid heatwave conditions

    firefighter works to extinguish an advancing wildfire near Formariz in Zamora province, SpainReuters

    A firefighter works to extinguish a wildfire near Formariz, Spain, on Wednesday

    Greece is one of several European nations suffering devastating wildfires. A succession of heatwaves and little rain created favourable conditions for them in other parts of Europe.

    Since mid-July wildfires have torn through France, Spain, and Portugal, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate their homes.

    Officials in the Spanish capital Madrid have said the fires are the worst the region has ever experienced.

    More than 200,000 hectares of land has burnt across the country in 2026, roughly five times above the average by this point in the year, EU data shows.

    A wildfire that broke out in the Gironde region of France was last week described by French President Emmanuel Macron as "completely unprecedented".

    The UK has also been battling wildfires, with a blaze that devastated heathland in Suffolk declared stable on Saturday.

  20. Olive branches and hoses used to put out flames as wildfires threaten Greece

    Workers use olive branches to extinguish flames in the Megara valley.Reuters

    Workers use olive branches to extinguish flames in the Megara valley

    A man runs in the foreground while two others hold a hose in an area affected by fires.Reuters

    Volunteers try to extinguish a fire burning at a yard of a house in the settlement of Zachouli, in Attica

    Firefighters holding a hose pointed at a wildfire near the village Agia Paraskevi.Reuters

    Firefighters battle an inferno near the village Agia Paraskevi