WATCH | Firefighting Plane Engaged to Douse Wildfires in Greece Crashes, Incident Caught on Camera – News18

A firefighting plane engaged to contain fire wildfires in Greece crashed on Tuesday. The incident occurred on the island of Evia and was aired in a state television broadcast that showed the low-flying aircraft disappearing into a canyon before a fireball was seen moments later.

In the video by EPT news, a fume can be seen coming out of the plane’s engine.

Greece is experiencing scorching temperatures, with the mercury soaring to 40 C (104 F).

Wildfires have broken out on the island of Rhodes, Evia and Corfu with Rhodes highly impacted as 19,000 were forced to free. Karystos, a town in Evia, is now sheltering people from four nearby villages as the wildfire approaches.

The country has designated an exceptionally large area, including the eastern part of central and southern Greece, the islands of Evia and Rhodes, and significant portions of the southwest, as Category 5, signifying the highest risk of fire outbreaks. Additionally, another substantial area has been labeled as Category 4, indicating a very high risk.

The situation in Greece remains critical as authorities continue their efforts to combat the wildfires and ensure the safety of residents and visitors. With such extreme weather conditions and the ongoing threat of fire outbreaks, vigilance and coordinated responses are crucial to address the scale of this disaster.

Authorities said that more than 20,000 people has been involved in successive evacuations on the island, mostly tourists over the weekend, when fire swept through two coastal areas on the southeast of Rhodes.

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.