Two firefighting helicopters collide in Greece, crew missing

ATHENS, Greece — Two helicopters collided during firefighting operations west of Athens in the Vilia area, the Greek Fire Service said on Sunday. A search-and-rescue operation has been launched to locate the crews of both aircraft. Greece has been battling widespread forest fires for more than a week, with blazes burning through more than 12,000 hectares of forest and farmland. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said wind speeds have frequently exceeded 100 kilometers per hour, making safe operations impossible for hundreds of aircraft. The prime minister acknowledged that there are moments when nature and severe weather can exceed any human planning or operational capacity. The Fire Service said around 500 personnel are deployed in the Porto Germeno area, roughly 70 kilometers northwest of Athens, to contain the flames. Further details were not immediately available.