Fatal Copter Collision Overshadows Wildfire Battle as Criminal Probe Expands

The final moments of two firefighting helicopter crews battling the devastating wildfire on the Attica-Boeotia (Viotia) border in south-central Greece have emerged through the testimony of one of the first medical professionals to reach the crash site, while investigators continue examining both the fatal mid-air collision and the circumstances that sparked one of the country’s most destructive fires of the season.

Flight surgeon Giorgos Ntoulas, among the first emergency responders to arrive after Sunday’s collision near the settlement of Psatha, described a scene of “total devastation.”

One of the Bell helicopters had crashed onto the roadway, breaking apart on impact before bursting into flames as fire brigade crews fought the blaze. The aircraft’s two crew members were found unresponsive, with Ntoulas saying their injuries indicated they had most likely died instantly, pending confirmation by forensic examinations.