Video captures moment Greek firefighting airplane crashes while responding to wildfire
A terrifying video captured the moment when a Greek firefighting airplane that was responding to a wildfire in Greece crashed and burst into flames on Tuesday, July 25, 2023.
PLATANISTOS, Greece – A Greek firefighting airplane crashed and burst into flames in Platanistos on the island of Evia on Tuesday while it was trying to extinguish a wildfire on the hillside, according to the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT).
ERT reported that the CL-215 airplane took off from Nea Aghialos Volos shortly before noon local time and was working to help extinguish the Karystos fire when it crashed.
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A terrifying video captured the moment when a Greek firefighting airplane that was responding to a wildfire in Greece crashed and burst into flames on Tuesday, July 25, 2023.
Two pilots from the 355th Tactical Transport Squadron of the 112th Fighter Wing were on board the airplane when it crashed, and officials have confirmed that they were both killed.
Military officials identified the pilots as Cmdr. Christos Moulas, 34, and 2nd Lt. Pericles Stefanidis, 27.
Nikos Dendias, the Greek Minister of National Defense, announced a three-day mourning period to remember the pilots lost in the plane crash.
Both Dendias and the Cyprus Minister of Defense Michalis Giorgallas offered their condolences for the loss of the two pilots.
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"The loss of the lives of the air force officers and pilots of the CL-215 firefighting aircraft in the line of duty while attempting to protect the lives and property of civilians as well as the environment is deeply saddening," Dendias said in a tweet. "Our thoughts are with their families and colleagues, to whom we extend our most sincere condolences."
The video appears to show the right wing of the airplane clipping some trees. Something is then seen falling from the aircraft before it briefly climbs in altitude and then banks to the right and dives into the hillside.
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Hundreds of firefighters across Greece have been working tirelessly to extinguish wildfires that have scorched the ancient landscape and forced thousands of residents and tourists to evacuate.
More than 60 wildfires ignited across Greece on Sunday, with the most serious fire burning on the island of Rhodes.
TOPSHOT - People watch the fires near the village of Malona in the Greek island of Rhodes on July 23, 2023. Tens of thousands of people fled wildfires on the Greek island of Rhodes on July 23, 2023, as terrified tourists scrambled to get home. Firefighters tackled blazes that erupted in peak tourism season, sparking the country's largest-ever wildfire evacuation -- and leaving flights and holidays cancelled.
(SPYROS BAKALIS/AFP)
Burning trees in Nea Zoi in Nea Peramos, a place near Megara, Greece on July 19, 2023. After three days, firefighters are still fighting the flames in Nea Zoi.
(Nikolas Kokovlis/NurPhoto)
A man runs for protection during a wildfire at Agios Sotiras, a village 35 km West of Athens, on July 20, 2023. Forest fires are burning for the 4th consecutive day in Western Attica (Photo by Dimitris Kapantais / SOOC / SOOC via AFP) (Photo by DIMITRIS KAPANTAIS/SOOC/AFP via Getty Images)
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RHODES ISLAND, GREECE - JULY 22: Tourists are evacuated as huge wildfire rages across Greece's Rhodes island on July 22, 2023. Thousands of tourists were evacuated from hotels on the southeastern coast of Rhodes island as a huge wildfire that had been burning on the island since Tuesday morning continued to spread quickly. Firefighters, as well as fire extinguisher aircraft, are battling the blazes against strong winds.
(Lefty Damian/Anadolu Agency)
Tourists wait in the airport's departure hall as evacuations are underway due to wildfires, on the Greek island of Rhodes on July 23, 2023. Locals and tourists fled hotspots on Rhodes, as firefighters battled a blaze that had sparked the country's largest-ever fire evacuation. Firefighters were bracing for high winds that have been forecast for the afternoon and that could hamper their efforts.
(WILL VASSILOPOULOS/AFP)
ATHENS, GREECE - JULY 20: Firefighter teams intervene a wildfire at the village of Palaiochori near Athens, Greece on July 20, 2023. (Photo by Costas Baltas/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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RHODES ISLAND, GREECE - JULY 24: Teams try to extinguish wildfires on Rhodes island, Greece on July 24, 2023. Some 19,000 people have been evacuated from the Greek island of Rhodes as wildfires continued burning for a sixth day, authorities said on Sunday. As many as 266 firefighters and 49 fire engines were on the ground battling the blazes, assisted by five helicopters and 10 airplanes.
(Damianidis Eleftherios/Anadolu Agency)
24 July 2023, Greece, Gennadi: A Romanian firefighter sprays water on a cat as a fire broke out near the village of Gennadi. Forest fires rage in Rhodes and other parts of Greece.
(Socrates Baltagiannis/picture alliance)
24 July 2023, Greece, Kiotari: Burned cars in the village of Kiotari. Forest fires rage in Rhodes and other parts of Greece
(Socrates Baltagiannis/picture alliance)
24 July 2023, Greece, Gennadi: Romanian firefighters try to extinguish a fire that broke out in a house near the village of Gennadi. Forest fires rage in Rhodes and other parts of Greece.
(Socrates Baltagiannis/picture alliance)
24 July 2023, Greece, Gennadi: Romanian firefighters try to extinguish a fire that broke out in a house near the village of Gennadi. Forest fires rage in Rhodes and other parts of Greece.
(Socrates Baltagiannis/picture alliance)
Civilians use a hose to attempt to stop a fire from approaching houses between the villages of Kiotari and Gennadi, on the Greek island of Rhodes on July 24, 2023. Firefighters tackled blazes that erupted in peak tourism season, sparking the country's largest-ever wildfire evacuation -- and leaving flights and holidays cancelled. Tens of thousands of people have already fled blazes on the island of Rhodes, with many frightened tourists scrambling to get home on evacuation flights.
(SPYROS BAKALIS/AFP)
This photograph taken on July 24, 2023, shows burnt vehicles and smoke in the background during a fire between the villages of Kiotari and Genadi, on the Greek island of Rhodes. Firefighters tackled blazes that erupted in peak tourism season, sparking the country's largest-ever wildfire evacuation -- and leaving flights and holidays cancelled. Tens of thousands of people have already fled blazes on the island of Rhodes, with many frightened tourists scrambling to get home on evacuation flights.
(SPYROS BAKALIS/AFP)
RHODES ISLAND, GREECE - JULY 22: Firefighter teams intervene a wildfire across Greece's Rhodes island on July 22, 2023. Thousands of tourists were evacuated from hotels on the southeastern coast of Rhodes island as a huge wildfire that had been burning on the island since Tuesday morning continued to spread quickly. Firefighters, as well as fire extinguisher aircraft, are battling the blazes against strong winds. (Photo by Lefty Damian/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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RHODES ISLAND, GREECE - JULY 22: A firefighter helicopter drops water as teams conduct extinguishing works by land and air to control wildfires across Greece's Rhodes island on July 22, 2023. Thousands of tourists were evacuated from hotels on the southeastern coast of Rhodes island as a huge wildfire that had been burning on the island since Tuesday morning continued to spread quickly. Firefighters, as well as fire extinguisher aircraft, are battling the blazes against strong winds. (Photo by Lefty Damian/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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RHODES ISLAND, GREECE - JULY 22: A firefighter helicopter drops water as teams conduct extinguishing works by land and air to control wildfires across Greece's Rhodes island on July 22, 2023. Thousands of tourists were evacuated from hotels on the southeastern coast of Rhodes island as a huge wildfire that had been burning on the island since Tuesday morning continued to spread quickly. Firefighters, as well as fire extinguisher aircraft, are battling the blazes against strong winds. (Photo by Lefty Damian/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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22 July 2023, Greece, Rhodos: Forest fires rage on the vacation island of Rhodes (photo taken from an airplane). According to meteorologists, the heat wave will continue next week with minor fluctuations. On Wednesday, a new peak is expected with temperatures around 46 degrees in southern Greece. Photo: Christophe Gateau/dpa (Photo by Christophe Gateau/picture alliance via Getty Images)
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Vacation companies TUI and Jet2 have canceled flights to the region through at least the end of the week, although those airplanes are being flown to Rhodes to evacuate tourists trying to get back to the United Kingdom.
Help has been flowing into Greece from across Europe, with countries sending firefighters, airplanes and other personnel to the affected regions to assist firefighting efforts.
Temperatures have soared above 100 degrees across many areas of Europe over the past several days.
Athens had a forecast high temperature of 102 degrees Tuesday, 107 on Wednesday and the upper 90s by Thursday.
Information received from European news outlets and the military was translated via Google Translate.