Two crew members were killed on Sunday, August 2nd, 2026, when two Bell helicopters collided mid-air in Greece while battling wildfires, local authorities confirmed. The fatalities included a Danish pilot and a Greek fire service liaison officer. A British pilot and another Greek coordinator on the second helicopter survived the crash with minor injuries and were admitted to hospital for observation.

The incident occurred approximately 65 kilometers west of Athens, near the Attica-Boeotia border, where a large wildfire has been burning. Video footage shows one Bell helicopter striking the propellers of the other, causing it to burst into flames and crash into a ravine.

Wildfires have prompted mass evacuations in Greece this week, with more than 500 firefighters engaged in a "titanic battle" across areas including Porto Germeno, Psatha, Fokida, Megara, and Kefalonia.

In response to the accident, all Bell helicopters across Greece have been grounded according to protocol, a source from the civil protection ministry told the BBC.

In a post on X, a Greek official expressed deep sorrow, stating the loss of the Greek coordinator and Danish pilot "fills us all with grief."

Sources