Private helicopter crashes in Sifnos, Greece, killing two Britons and a Greek pilot

At least three people traveling in a private helicopter were killed on Monday afternoon after the aircraft crashed on the Greek island of Sifnos.

The fire department said the accident occurred in the Tholos area, very close to the island’s heliport. After hitting the ground, the helicopter immediately caught fire.

The three bodies were transported to the island’s health center, according to hospital sources. Meanwhile, emergency services are continuing to search the crash site to determine whether there were any other people on board.

Greek police said the helicopter had taken off from Markopoulo, in Athens. Before departing for Sifnos, it had picked up a British couple as passengers, while it was piloted by a Greek national.

The aircraft was a Bell model. Preliminary data indicate that it was one of three helicopters of this brand in the company’s fleet.

Shortly before the crash, witnesses in the area said they had noticed smoke coming from the helicopter. This testimony has raised suspicions of a possible technical problem before the accident.

Greek authorities have opened an investigation to determine the causes of the crash. Search-and-rescue operations and final checks to confirm the death toll are continuing in the area.