Overview
- The collision occurred on Sunday over Psatha in West Attica when two Bell helicopters contracted by the Greek Fire Service struck each other while fighting a wildfire.
- Rescue teams found four people on board, evacuated them to the 251st Aviation Hospital and later confirmed that two occupants died and two were injured and hospitalized.
- Both aircraft had taken off from the Elefsina military base and were civilian-leased Bell models operating in heavy smoke and strong gusts that forecasters and the prime minister said had severely limited safe flying.
- Greek authorities ordered all Bell helicopters in the operation area grounded and opened formal probes to review pilot communications, flight coordination, maintenance logs and meteorological conditions.
- The crash comes as Greece battles multi-front wildfires, recent firefighter deaths and large evacuations, and it may reduce immediate aerial capacity while other aircraft and international aid are reallocated.