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Symbolic image: Two water-bomber pilots killed as wildfire destroys homes near AthensSymbolic image

Two water-bomber pilots killed as wildfire destroys homes near Athens

5 sources

A wildfire northwest of Athens has destroyed more than 100 homes, and two firefighting helicopters collided on Sunday, killing the two-person crew of one aircraft. Crews now face new fire fronts near the coastal village of Porto Germeno.

What happened

  • The fire broke out on Friday, 31 July near Porto Germeno, 70 kilometres northwest of Athens; villages were evacuated.
  • Both helicopters crashed near Psatha in Attica; the crew of the second aircraft was rescued, the fire department said.
  • Greece's prime minister said the two dead crew members were a Dane and a Greek.
  • More than 500 firefighters and forest commandos are deployed around Porto Germeno, about 100 at a separate blaze at Egialea.
  • Gusts above 125 km/h have grounded aircraft; Le Monde reports over 12,000 hectares burned in Greece within a week.

The view from outside

German outlets cover the fire mainly through domestic consequences: the foreign office warns travellers of possible road closures and evacuations, German crews have arrived in Spain, and entering forest areas is banned in Saxon Switzerland.

What could happen next

  • FAZ reported on Monday that new fire fronts threaten Porto Germeno; the government warns of extremely difficult days ahead.
  • The burned area is unsettled: a National Observatory researcher puts the Porto Germeno fire above 10,000 hectares, nearly double initial estimates.
  • No cause has been given for the midair collision; the helicopters were leased from Australia's McDermott Aviation.
  • Further evacuations and closures remain possible as flames push towards Athens' western fringes.
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