UPDATED: Rescue crews found three people whose helicopter crashed into the sea off the island of Samos on Wednesday afternoon as they battled a wildfire. A fourth person was still missing.
Two of the passengers were taken to the hospital and were unconscious, according to AMNA. The pilot, said to be from Romania, was taken to the hospital, as well.
In addition to the pilot, the helicopter was said to be carrying two Moldovan operators and a Greek liaison-translator.
Fire officials said the “rescue operation is under way,” according to Reuters. The crash happened on the island’s western coast. The decades-old helicopter had been leased by the Greek government, the report noted.
The helicopter was a Soviet-made Mil Mi-8 medium twin-turbine helicopter. No further details were immediately available.
Helicopter crash was on western coast
Early Wednesday, 27 firefighters, four water-dropping aircraft, and three helicopters were dispatched to the fire, officials told Reuters.
The wildfire season has already been an active one in Greece. Last week, 52 wildfires were recorded in the country within a 24-hour period.
Last week, a large wildfire broke out at Porto Germeno, a seaside resort west of Athens, forcing authorities to evacuate a nearby village. Strong north-westerly winds in the area of the Gulf of Corinth pushed the fire toward the town of Psatha. Last week also saw two large wildfires that threatened Itea and Kranidi, two of Greece’s top luxury resorts.
This is a developing story.
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