In line with protocol, all Bell helicopters throughout the nation have been grounded, a supply from the civil safety ministry instructed the BBC.
The supply added that the second Bell helicopter concerned within the collision made an emergency touchdown in an space of low vegetation.
“The 2 individuals on board, a British pilot and a Greek fireplace service liaison officer – escaped with minor accidents,” the supply mentioned.
“Each remained aware and have been admitted to hospital, the place they may stay underneath commentary for twenty-four hours as a precaution.”
The supply additionally instructed the BBC the British survivor was a personal pilot employed for the wildfire season.
He was not a part of any alternate between the UK and Greece, and there was no request for help from Athens.
In the meantime, Greece’s Ekathimerini information web site mentioned the 2 survivors instantly reported the collision, guiding rescuers to the crash web site.
The names of the 4 crew members haven’t been publicly launched.
Erickson Air-Crane and Chinook helicopters, in addition to Canadair water-bombing plane are persevering with to hold out firefighting efforts.
Early this week, France and Spain battled large fires – two of the primary ones have been near Madrid and Bordeaux respectively. These have now been contained, although they’re nonetheless burning. Some 300,000 individuals who have been evacuated have began to return to their houses.
In Greece, media experiences describe “a titanic battle” alongside a swathe of territory that features Porto Germeno, Psatha, Fokida, Megara and Kefalonia, the place greater than 500 firefighters have been struggling to deliver the state of affairs underneath management over the previous 72 hours.
Most wildfires are sparked by individuals, whether or not deliberately or unintentionally, however local weather change is making the situations for them extra widespread.
Final winter was delicate and moist, encouraging vegetation development, which has then dried out in successive sizzling spells, producing gasoline for wildfires.
