Three people have died after a helicopter crash sparked a fire on the Greek island of Sifnos, a popular tourist destination.
Crash and emergency response
A private helicopter went down shortly after 6pm local time (4pm UK time) on Sifnos, according to reports. Firefighters and rescue crews rushed to the crash site near homes in the Tholos neighbourhood, quickly bringing the flames under control.
Three bodies were recovered from the site, the fire department said. Their identities and the cause of the crash have not yet been confirmed. Emergency services were alerted to the incident at around 6:17pm, according to Proto Thema.
Rescue efforts and aftermath
Firefighters and a rescue team from Syros, who arrived on a high-speed boat operated by the Fire Brigade, attended the scene. An image taken in the immediate aftermath shows thick black smoke billowing from a fireball at the crash site.
Sifnos is located in the western part of the Cyclades island group, between Serifos and Milos. It is about 76 nautical miles (140 km) from Piraeus, Athens' main port. The island is known for its culinary scene, pottery history, and scenic villages.
