Two fire brigade helicopters collided mid-air on Sunday, August 2nd, 2026, in the Psatha area just west of Athens, Greece, amid ongoing efforts to combat severe wildfires around the Gulf of Corinth. The fire service confirmed the collision and stated that search and rescue teams were immediately deployed to locate and assist the crews. Television footage showed one helicopter explode and crash in flames following a rotor collision.

Greek public broadcaster ERT reported that the crew of one helicopter was found safe, but the fate of the second crew was initially unclear and the search was ongoing.

The wildfires, fueled by winds reaching up to 100 kilometers (60 miles) per hour, have burned over 6,500 hectares (16,000 acres) in separate fires around the Gulf of Corinth, according to early estimates from the National Observatory's climate tracker meteo.gr. Nearly 500 firefighters were battling a blaze near the town of Porto Germeno, north of Psatha, attempting to prevent it from reaching the western outskirts of Athens after it climbed a mountain overnight.

Meteorologist Theodore Giannaros described the fires near Porto Germeno as "likely, if not almost certain … [to] be classified as a megafire." Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis warned of "extremely difficult" days ahead due to the intensity and spread of the fires.

Nikos Georgopoulos from the laboratory of forest management at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki told ERT that the scale and intensity of the weather phenomena have surpassed human planning and operational capabilities. Officials noted that strong winds have hindered the safe operation of firefighting aircraft despite having dozens available.

Authorities have urged residents to evacuate affected areas. On the preceding Friday and Saturday, firefighters evacuated 266 people by sea, often the last escape route for isolated coastal communities.

Sources