Accident follows warnings by Greece’s prime minister that the country’s water bombers are old and unwieldy
A Greek plane fighting wildfires crashed on the island of Evia on Tuesday, killing the captain and co-pilot after it nosedived and burst into flames.
The accident followed warnings by Greece’s prime minister that the country’s water bombers were old and unwieldy.
The Canadair CL-215 aircraft had water-bombed a fire on a mountain when its wing clipped a tree as it was attempting to gain height and fly away from the flames.
Footage showed the plane dipping perilously close to the ground before losing control and disappearing into a ravine. Moments later, a fireball rose from where it had crashed.