![]() The plane crashed into a fireball on a hillside in Evia. Join us now, and thank you.Firefighting plane crashes on Greek island If stories like the one you just read matter, help us keep the Sentinel different and still here when you need us, for everyone. Even if you can’t give right now, click here to subscribe to our free daily email E-ditions. Join our mission by clicking below and providing even a few dollars a month, or more if you’re able. We need readers like you to become partners and help us. The costs of producing top-notch journalism are steep. Our print editions are free on stands across the region, and our daily email E-ditions are free just for signing up, to anyone.īut we need your help to carry out this essential mission. Factual reporting is crucial to a sound democracy, a solid community and a satisfying life. ![]() ![]() Like you, we know how critical accurate and factual information are in making the best decisions about, well, everything that matters. The Sentinel not only cares deeply about bringing our readers accurate and critical news, we insist all of the crucial stories we provide are available for everyone - for free. In Athens, authorities resumed afternoon closing hours at the ancient Acropolis, as part of broader measures to cope with the high heat.ĮU officials have blamed climate change for the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires across the European continent, noting that 2022 was the second-worst year for wildfire damage on record after 2017.įollow AP’s coverage of climate issues at But in Italy’s northern Lombardy region, a powerful storm caused flooding, power outages and was blamed for the death of a 16-year-old girl at a scouts’ camp. On the island of Sicily, Palermo’s international airport temporarily shut down as flames from a wildfire approached. The European Union has sent 500 firefighters, 100 vehicles and seven planes from 10 member states, while Turkey, Israel, Egypt and other countries have also sent help.Ĭontributing nations included Italy which was dealing with its own fires and extreme weather at home. “We were choking on the smoke and ran as far as we could … we eventually made it to safety.” “The fire got got very close and we had to run,” Sumakovic wrote, captioning videos of the fire. In a series of online posts, Sumakovic described frantic scenes as she and Petrusev escaped the fire. … The Greek Fire Service has battled more than 500 fires - more than 50 a day,” said Vassilis Kikilias, the minister for climate crisis and civil protection.Īuthorities said that more than 20,000 people have been involved in successive evacuations on the island, mostly tourists over the weekend when fires swept through two coastal areas in the southeast of Rhodes.Īmong them was Serbian basketball star Philip Petrusev, a played for the Philadelphia 76ers who was vacationing on Rhodes with his partner Tiana Sumakovic. “For the twelfth day, under extreme conditions of heat and strong winds, we are fighting nonstop on dozens of forest fire fronts. On Rhodes, desperate residents, many with wet towels around their necks to stave off the scorching heat, used shovels to beat back flames approaching their homes, while firefighting planes and helicopters resumed water drops at first light. “On the other fronts we have to deal with many cases of the fire flaring up again,” Ioannis Artopios said.įour villages on Rhodes were ordered evacuated on Tuesday as a fire burning for eight days continued to move inland, torching mountainous forest areas, including a part of a nature reserve.Īnother five evacuations were ordered on Corfu, and one overnight on Evia. The air force said a search and rescue operation was underway, but the prospects were not good for the two pilots as the plane had no ejection system.Ī third successive heat wave in Greece pushed temperatures back above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) across parts of the country Tuesday amid a string of evacuations from fires that have raged out of control for days.Ī fire service spokesman said the worst blazes were on the southeastern island of Rhodes and the northwestern island of Corfu - both which are popular tourist destinations. Moments later it disappeared into a deep fold in the ground from which a fireball erupted. A state ERT TV video showed the CL-215 aircraft releasing its load of water on the island of Evia before its wingtip apparently snagged in a tree branch.
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