Video | Two dead after plane fighting wildfires in Greece crashes, bursts into flames

Athens, Greece

Two people have been confirmed dead in a tragic incident after a Canadair CL-215 plane, operated by the Greek air force, crashed. As per reports, the victims were identified as a 34-year-old commander and his 37-year-old co-pilot. The accident occurred about 30 minutes away from the town of Karystos on the island of Evia, near Athens, where a fire had been raging for several days.

The wildfires in Greece have had devastating consequences, with the plane crash now adding to the tragedy. 

The aircraft, a Canadair CL-215 belonging to the Greek air force, was shown in footage dropping water over a fire before crashing into a hillside and catching fire. 

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After the tragedy, two helicopters were deployed for search and rescue operations. 

Ongoing wildfires in Rhodes

The situation in Greece has been dire due to rampant wildfires, with the island of Rhodes being severely affected. The blazes have been raging since Wednesday and intensified due to hot and windy conditions. 

As a result, many homes were destroyed, and thousands of tourists on the island were forced to evacuate.

Efforts to combat fire 

To combat the wildfires, hundreds of firefighters, along with assistance from Turkey and Slovakia, have been tirelessly battling the flames. Emergency flights were arranged to evacuate holidaymakers from affected areas.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis acknowledged the severity of the situation and warned that tough days were ahead.

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"All of us are standing guard," he said adding, "In the face of what the entire planet is facing, especially the Mediterranean which is a climate change hot-spot, there is no magical defence mechanism, if there was we would have implemented it."

Climate change's role in extreme heatwaves

The wildfires in Greece occurred amid a larger trend of extreme heatwaves sweeping across various parts of the world. Scientists have indicated that human-induced climate change played a significant role in these heatwaves, affecting regions like North America, southern Europe, and China.

Greece has been experiencing exceptionally high temperatures, and the weather conditions are expected to worsen in the coming days. The authorities are closely monitoring the situation to mitigate further risks of wildfires and ensure the safety of the population.

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Authorities in Greece, including a prosecutor on Rhodes, launched an investigation to determine the causes of the fires and evaluate the preparedness and response of authorities.

A significant portion of the island's land area has already been consumed by the flames. Tourism, a crucial economic sector in Greece, has been severely affected, especially on Rhodes, a popular summer destination.