ENVIRONMENT

Two die as firefighting helicopters collide in Greece, French blaze changes course

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AGIOS KONSTANTINOS, Greece, Aug 2 (Reuters) - Two firefighting helicopters collided in Greece while helping to control a huge wildfire on Sunday that has destroyed more than 100 homes northwest of Athens, while people fled another blaze on the tourist island of Kefalonia. Two people on one helicopter — a Greek and a Danish national — ‌died, while the crew on the other, one person from Greece, one from Britain, survived, the fire service said. Investigations had started into what caused the collision, it added.Europe has been ravaged by wildfires this summer after a period of record-breaking heatwaves and little rain – conditions that scientists say have been exacerbated by climate change. Destructive blazes in France and Spain showed some signs of easing over the weekend, but several wildfires have broken out in Greece after a period of relative calm there. The two helicopters collided in the area of Psatha in the Attica region, Greece's fire service said in a statement. Video posted on the Forecast Weather Greece Facebook page appeared to show two helicopters closing to cross paths at low altitude, before the main rotor of the lower helicopter struck the underside of the other. The lower one then crashed in flames.The second helicopter then dumped its load of water and flew ⁠away. Reuters has not verified the authenticity of the footage. Investigations suggested the fire that started in the Greek region of Boeotia before spreading to Attica was caused by sparks from conductors on a private network transmitting electricity generated by wind turbines to the main power grid, the eKathimerini website reported. Two Greek nationals were arrested on suspicion of negligence, while another suspect remains at large, the report said. 'FORCE OF NATURE' Gale-force winds that had fuelled a fire around Porto Germeno on the Gulf of Corinth 60 km (40 miles) northwest of Athens subsided, but flames crossed a mountain to the south and reached the settlement of Veniza and

Prepared by Olivia Bennett and reviewed by editorial team.

Timeline of Events

On July 28, 2026, severe summer heatwaves and dry conditions intensified European wildfire risks.
On August 1, 2026, intense wildfires forced coastal sea evacuations in western Attica, Greece.
On August 2, 2026, gale-force winds drove flames across mountain ridges toward Veniza, Greece.
On August 2, 2026, a private wind turbine power network sparked the Boeotia wildfire.
On August 2, 2026, two firefighting helicopters collided mid-air near Psatha, Attica, Greece.
On August 2, 2026, Greek authorities confirmed two crew members died in the collision.
On August 2, 2026, two surviving crew members were rescued and hospitalized in Athens.
On August 2, 2026, French and Spanish officials reported easing progress on major regional blazes.
On August 3, 2026, investigators initiated formal inquiries into the helicopter collision cause.
Future climate pressures will likely increase aerial firefighting collision risks globally.
Future infrastructure regulations may mandate stricter safety standards for renewable energy grids.
Future international emergency resource pooling will expand across Mediterranean partner nations.

News Intelligence

US emergency response agencies monitor Mediterranean aerial firefighting safety protocols closely.
Climate change policy debates over infrastructure resilience will intensify across governments.
Emergency aviation services, firefighters, and international flight safety regulatory bodies.
Prioritize verified wire updates over unverified social media footage clips.