At least three people have died in a helicopter crash on the popular Greek tourist island of Sifnos. The small private helicopter crashed and sparked a fire in the Tholos area at around 6pm local time (4pm UK time) on Monday evening, the fire department said.
Crash and fire
A huge inferno broke out before two firefighters and one fire engine raced to the site to tackle the flames, local media reported. The bodies of the pilot and two passengers were recovered from the site. The identities of those on board and the cause of the crash were not immediately clear.
A rescue team from Syros arrived later with the Fire Department's RAFNAR speedboat. It is currently unclear what caused the helicopter to crash.
Witness reports
Pictures used by local media showed what appeared to be the crash site on a tinder-dry hillside, where a ball of flame created large plumes of dark smoke billowing from a raging fire near shrubs and bushes. The helicopter, said to be a Bell 206, had just taken off from the island's helipad in the Tholos area, local media reports. No homes were hit, it is understood.
One witness told local outlet SKAI that the helicopter began to spin around at a high speed before it smashed into the ground. Manolis Fountoulakis, deputy mayor of Sifnos, told Greek channel Alpha: "It experienced mechanical failure in the a, residents say it made a loud, strange noise, like military aircraft."
Ongoing investigation
This is a breaking news story and is being constantly updated. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
