Two firefighting helicopters collided and crashed near Psatha, west of Athens, while battling a wildfire on Saturday, killing two crew members and injuring two others. One crew member was rescued in good health and a second was later found safe, while rescuers searched for a remaining crew member. The helicopters had departed from Elefsina military airfield and collided around 16:30 local time. The captain of the first aircraft reported his co-pilot was injured after the impact.
Greece is grappling with severe wildfires driven by winds reaching 100 kilometres per hour. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the country was experiencing "extreme weather conditions." Nearly 500 firefighters were deployed around Porto Germeno, where early estimates indicated over 10,000 hectares had burned. Three firefighters have died in recent days in Crete and the Peloponnese.
A 44-year-old man was arrested on the island of Cephalonia on suspicion of deliberately starting a fire.