Two firefighting helicopters collide near Athens, killing two crew
The Bell helicopters were fighting a wind‑driven blaze in the Porto Germeno area northwest of Athens amid a Europe‑wide heat wave.
Updated last month5 new reports, including Fortune, Washington Times, The Independent and 2 more.
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Two firefighting helicopters collided midair near Athens on August 2, 2026, killing two crew members. The crash occurred while the aircraft were battling a wind‑driven wildfire in the Porto Germeno area.
Two firefighting helicopters collided midair near Athens on August 2, 2026.1,3,7 The aircraft were Bell helicopters, each staffed by a two‑person crew.3 The collision happened while the helicopters were combating a wind‑driven wildfire in the Porto Germeno area west of Athens.1,9
Video footage captured one of the helicopters crashing to the ground.1 Two crew members were killed in the incident.1,2,4,5,7 CNBC reported that the two fatalities were from one helicopter, while the crew of the second helicopter survived.4
An investigation into the cause of the midair collision was launched.4 The crash occurred amid a broader wildfire emergency, with Greece fighting more than 200 fires in the preceding week.7 The wildfire zone was northwest of Athens, near the town of Porto Germeno in the Viotia region.9
Approximately 500 firefighters were deployed to contain the blaze after the collision.9 The fires were fueled by strong winds and a record‑breaking heat wave affecting much of Europe.2,6,8 Similar wildfire outbreaks were reported in France and Spain during the same period.2,8
The incident added to the toll of emergency responders affected by the summer fire crisis.2
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Bell helicopters are a common type of aircraft used for aerial firefighting, capable of dropping water or fire retardant.3
Greece has been battling a surge of wildfires during a record‑hot summer, with more than 200 fires reported in the week before the crash.7
Porto Germeno lies about 70 km northwest of Athens in the Viotia region, an area prone to wildfires due to dense pine forests.9
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Two killed as firefighting helicopters collide in Greece
A British pilot and a Greek crew member survived after two firefighting helicopters crashed west of Athens while battling a major wildfire.