safety
Fatal Mid-Air Collision Claims Two Firefighting Helicopter Crew in Greece
Two crew members died and two others were injured when a pair of Bell firefighting helicopters collided mid-air in Greece on August 3. The aircraft, operated by Australian firm McDermott Aviation, were battling intense wildfires west of Athens when one helicopter's main rotor impacted the belly of the other. The struck aircraft crashed and burned, while the second managed an emergency landing. This tragic accident underscores the extreme spatial awareness and communication hazards aerial firefighting crews face when operating in dense smoke and high-traffic fire areas.