The midair collision of two Bell 214 firefighting helicopters operating on the Psatha wildfire front was a devastating tragedy. The crash occurred between Agios Nektarios, Kryo Pigadi, and Agia Paraskevi on the afternoon of Sunday, August 2. The Danish pilot and Greek interpreter aboard one of the aircraft were pulled from the wreckage and confirmed dead. A volunteer rescue worker who witnessed the collision firsthand spoke to Open TV, stating that the two helicopters came down approximately one kilometer apart. “The first helicopter fell into a ravine below the road — we couldn’t make out the wreckage because the smoke was extremely thick and still is. Many fire service units are operating at the scene. We didn’t get a chance to see the crew that survived; they had already been picked up by EKAB,” the eyewitness volunteer told Open TV.
Helicopter collision in Psatha: Crew rescue operation
The collision of two helicopters on the Attica-Boeotia wildfire front ended in tragedy, claiming the lives of two crew members. According to initial reports, a Romanian pilot and a Greek interpreter were pulled from the wreckage and confirmed dead. From the second helicopter, a British pilot and a Greek interpreter were rescued and transported with minor injuries, with no threat to their lives. The exact causes of the collision are expected to be investigated by the relevant authorities.
Read also: Psatha helicopter collision makes front page on major international media outlets (Photos)
Watch the video of the moment of the collision
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Official fire service statement on the Psatha helicopter collision
During aerial firefighting operations in the Psatha area of Attica, two leased Bell-type helicopters collided while engaged in efforts to combat the major Attica-Boeotia wildfire.
Search and rescue teams from the Hellenic Fire Service were immediately deployed and successfully located and recovered all crew members. Operations on the ground were coordinated by the Fire Service Chief, Lieutenant General Theodoros Vagias.
A total of four crew members were aboard the two helicopters — two Greek nationals and two foreign nationals.
Two of the four occupants were found alive and unharmed, while the remaining two were recovered unconscious and were transported by EKAB ambulances.
Ground firefighting units already operating in the broader Psatha area to combat the forest fire also took part in the search and rescue effort.
Both helicopters had taken off from Elefsina Airport. The exact causes and circumstances of the incident are being investigated by the relevant authorities.
Tributes and condolences pour in
The Panhellenic Firefighters’ Union and the Seasonal Firefighters’ Association both shared tribute posts on social media. The former wrote: “Let this be where this year’s tragedy ends. Safe travels to two more of our colleagues.” The latter posted simply: “A tragedy without end.”
The moment of impact: what the footage shows
In the collision video, the higher-flying helicopter can be seen descending and maneuvering to the right, coming level with the second aircraft. Its landing skids strike the rotor of the lower helicopter, causing it to lose its rotor blades, catch fire, and plummet to the ground. Immediately after the collision, contact was lost with one of the two helicopters, prompting the Fire Service Operations Center to launch a search and rescue operation for the crews. The crew of one helicopter, operating over Psatha, managed to re-establish communication with the Operations Center, while the second helicopter was located following an extensive search. All crew members from both helicopters were transported to the 251 Hellenic Air Force General Hospital — two with minor injuries and two in an unconscious state.
