A serious aviation disaster has rocked Greece. A private helicopter has crashed on the popular tourist island of Sifnos, located in the Aegean Sea. The incident resulted in the deaths of three people on board. The deceased were an experienced Greek pilot and two passengers - a young British couple who had arrived in the country for their honeymoon.
According to the Aviation Safety Network (https://aviation-safety.net), the incident occurred with a Bell 206 JetRanger aircraft operated by Bellavia Aviation Services. The helicopter took off from Markopoulo and was supposed to land on Sifnos. Eyewitnesses told the Greek publication Ekathimerini that the aircraft lost control seconds after taking off from the airfield in the Tholos area.
When it collided with the terrain in a deserted hilly area, the helicopter exploded and burst into flames. Firefighters and rescue teams were immediately sent to the scene. There was no material damage to neighboring buildings in the area. The Greek fire service and aviation authorities have already launched an official investigation. According to reports on 7NEWS television, it is yet to be determined whether a technical malfunction or sudden pilot error was the cause of the fatal incident.