An aerial firefighting aircraft has crashed whilst fighting wildfires on the island of Evia, Greece.
Video footage just surfacing shows the moment the firebomber makes a retardant drop and crashes after pulling out of the firebombing run.
News source the Independent has confirmed a statement by the Greek Fire Brigade verifying that the accident occurred in the town of Karystos on the island of Evia near Athens.
Current wildfire situation
In Rhodes, the fires have forced the evacuation of over 20,000 people, including tourists. The fires have also destroyed homes and businesses. The Greek government has called the evacuation the largest in the country’s history.
The fires in Rhodes are being fanned by strong winds, and the dry conditions are making it difficult to contain the flames. The Greek authorities have deployed firefighters from across the country to battle the blaze.
In addition to Rhodes, there are also wildfires burning on the islands of Corfu and Evia. The fires on Corfu have already forced the evacuation of over 2,500 people.
Record high numbers of UK travellers
In spite of devastating wildfires still continuing in Greece, aviation data analytics firm Cirium has revealed that the number of scheduled flights from the UK to Greece has reached an all-time high. July and August 2023 are projected to witness an unprecedented surge in departures.
July and August 2023 are poised to be historic months for travel between the UK and Greece. A staggering 4,960 flights are scheduled to depart the UK for Greece this July, offering an incredible 952,000 seats.
Next month, the figures are set to soar even higher, with 5,052 flights scheduled, equating to a staggering 972,000 seats available.
During July, easyJet has taken the lead, offering the highest number of departures between the UK and Greece. Following closely behind are Jet2.com, TUI, British Airways, and Ryanair, contributing significantly to the increased capacity.
Update 16:50 BST Tuesday 25
Yesterday AviationSource reported that Jet2 has announced plans to send four repatriation flights to the island of Rhodes after continuing wildfires had caused flight cancellations.
It is understood that further airline repatriation flights may take place this week as wildfires continue. Jet2 released a further update statement on its repatriation flight program this afternoon.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
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