A plane fighting wildfires in Greece has crashed on the island of Evia as blazes destroy homes and force the evacuation of thousands of locals and tourists. State broadcaster shared footage on social media of the plane dropping water over a fire. It is then seen crashing into a hillside and bursting into flames. Two helicopters rushed to the scene to carry out a search and rescue operation, the air force said. It gave no details on the fate of the crew – a team of two airmen.
According to a statement, by the air force, the plane, a Canadian CL-215, crashed just after 3pm during a firefighting operation in Platanistos, Evia. Greece has been battling wildfires for the past week. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis declared on today that the Mediterranean nation is at war with the wildfires raging across the country.
Chidozie Chima | September 20, 2024
