Three people lost their lives after a private helicopter crashed near the heliport of the island of Sifnos, in the Tholos area, in Greece.
The serious incident occurred shortly after 18:00 on Monday, August 17, 2026, while the helicopter was approaching the island to land.
According to the information reported by the Greek media, the victims are the pilot of the helicopter and the two passengers who were on board. The helicopter, hired for the company Belavia, had taken off from Markopoulo and crashed near the heliport area, in Tholos, while completing the landing maneuver.
Immediately after the crash, a fire broke out, causing alarm in the area. Emergency and firefighting forces were mobilized at the scene, which intervened to control the flames and carry out the rescue operation. The helicopter crashed in an area near the houses, increasing the concern for residents and people who were nearby.
The Operational Center of the Greek Fire Service was notified of the incident at around 18:17. Initially, two firefighters with one vehicle worked on the scene, while a rescue team was sent from the island of Syros to Sifnos with a RAFNAR fast boat of the Fire Service.
In the first minutes after the accident, there were conflicting reports about the number of victims. Some media initially reported six dead, but a later report put the toll at three, namely the pilot and two passengers.
The Greek authorities are expected to investigate the exact circumstances of the accident and the causes that led to the crash of the helicopter during the approach for landing.
The event has caused shock in Sifnos, while the emergency teams continue the procedures at the scene and the authorities are collecting data to determine the dynamics of the accident.
