With tears in his eyes, a volunteer spoke about the tragedy in Rethymno, where two firefighters lost their lives on the front lines of the wildfire raging through the region. The loss of 25-year-old seasonal firefighter Pantelis Diamantakis and 58-year-old Manolis Stratidakis has brought deep grief to their families, friends, colleagues, and all of Crete. Among those who knew the two men is a volunteer member of the Apokoronas Emergency Response Volunteer Team, who spoke about the tragic loss, unable to hide his emotion.
Volunteer breaks down at the Rethymno wildfire: “I saw those kids with my own eyes”
As reported by creta24.gr, the visibly emotional volunteer spoke to CRETA Television and journalist Haris Leontakis, describing the pain and weight carried by those fighting on the fire lines following the deaths of 25-year-old Pantelis Diamantakis and 58-year-old Manolis Stratidakis, who were killed while battling the blaze.
“My condolences to the families. For the first time, two families won’t have their children come home,” he said, visibly shaken. “I saw those kids with my own eyes. It was a mistake they made… They went over there, and unfortunately it cost them everything,” the volunteer said, unable to hold back his emotion.
The image of him breaking down in front of the camera captures the raw anguish experienced by those on the front lines every day, facing the flames and mortal danger. “I can’t say anything else. The situation is tragic… Burned houses, burned cars, burned animals. Unfortunately, those people are never coming back. I have nothing more to say,” he added.
His words are deeply moving, as hundreds of uniformed firefighters and volunteers continue to battle the blazes, now mourning the loss of two of their own.
A final farewell today
The two firefighters from Rethymno, originally from the Amari region, took their last breath in the line of duty, sending waves of grief across Crete and the entire country. The funeral of the 25-year-old will be held on Thursday, July 30, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. at the Church of Saint Nektarios in Episkopi, Fourfouras, Amari, Rethymno, where he will also be buried. The funeral service for the 58-year-old will be held on Thursday, July 30, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. at the Church of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary in Gerakari, Amari, Rethymno, where he will also be laid to rest.
