European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen paid tribute to the Greek liaison officer and Danish pilot who died together during a firefighting mission in Greece. Speaking at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, she described both men as heroes.
Aristotelis Damigos, 39, and Rune Kyndal, 46, were killed when two firefighting helicopters collided near Psatha, west of Athens, on August 2. Damigos served as the Greek coordinator and interpreter aboard the aircraft flown by Kyndal. The two people aboard the second helicopter survived.
The tribute formed part of von der Leyen’s State of the Union address. She recalled the deaths of Kyndal and his liaison officer before addressing the Danish pilot’s mother, Margit, and brothers, Tue and Kaare, whom she had invited as special guests. She said Kyndal had given his life to save others and that Europe owed him a debt of gratitude.
Remembering Aristotelis Damigos
Damigos, known to family and friends as Aris, came from Sergoula in central Greece. A trained airplane pilot, he had spent the previous three years working as a liaison officer and interpreter with crews operating leased firefighting aircraft, according to local reporting.
His job involved relaying instructions, coordinates and operational information between the Greek control center and the foreign pilot. On the fatal mission, he was serving in that coordination role rather than flying the helicopter.
Family, friends and colleagues later gathered at the Ritsona crematorium to say goodbye. Firefighters were among those who attended, and relatives and colleagues delivered eulogies in his memory.
Kyndal Chose to Continue Flying in Greece
Von der Leyen’s personal account focused on Kyndal, who had settled in the Canadian town of Terrace before returning to Europe to help fight wildfires.
She said he had completed numerous missions across Greece in July and was due to take a break. With the emergency still severe, however, he decided to stay. The fatal accident followed days later.
A Stronger European Firefighting Response
The tribute accompanied a call to improve Europe’s wildfire preparedness. Von der Leyen said experienced firefighters and emergency-response leaders had been asked to review prevention, readiness, civil-military coordination and the need for additional capabilities.
Their recommendations would include proposals for a future European firefighting fleet. Her address set out a request for that work, rather than announcing a finalized aircraft procurement or deployment plan.
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