At least two rescuers have been killed in a helicopter crash near the Greek island of Samos. They wanted to fetch water to fight a forest fire. The pilot was taken to hospital with serious injuries, but a search is still underway for a passenger.
It was still unclear on Wednesday evening why the helicopter crashed. According to Greek media, the crew consisted of a Romanian, two Moldovans and a Greek translator. They were about to collect water from the sea when their helicopter crashed from a low altitude. So far, only the pilot has been rescued and taken to a hospital with serious injuries. Two people were killed and one person is currently missing.
Flames and huge clouds of smoke
A total of 14 fire-fighting trains, three fire-fighting planes and two fire-fighting helicopters were deployed on Wednesday to fight a forest fire in the west of the island. Tourists and locals could see the flames and huge clouds of smoke from afar. In the evening, two towns in the area of the fire were evacuated as a precaution because the fire was not yet under control at the time.
On Samos and in many other parts of Greece, forest fires are currently continuing due to heat and drought. On Tuesday, 35 wildfires were reported across the country within 24 hours. On Thursday, the fire service announced the second highest alert level for several islands in the Eastern Aegean Sea, as well as the Attica region around Athens and the large islands of Euboea and Crete. There is a “very high risk of wildfires”.
Forest fire in Croatia
In addition to Greece, other (not only) European countries are also affected. In Croatia, two villages near the Dalmatian town of Sibenik were evacuated on Wednesday due to a forest fire. The residents were brought to safety by boats, the head of civil defence, Danijel Mileta, announced. The situation is reportedly worse than it has been in ten years. More than 100 fire departments with 42 vehicles are in operation. The plumes of smoke could be seen as far as Sibernik. A fire raged near the town of Pula last weekend, destroying 40 hectares of vegetation.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
