Limited visual contact between the aircraft and the higher speed of one helicopter may have been key factors behind the tragic helicopter crash at Psatha, Greece, according to retired Air Vice Marshal Vasilis Vrettos.
Speaking about the incident, Vrettos said one of the helicopters was travelling at a much higher speed and did not have visual contact with the other because it was flying below it.
“The second helicopter made a turn at the last moment. That may have created even more adverse conditions and led to what happened. Neither crew saw the other,” he said.
He noted that although there was no apparent visual contact in an area crowded with firefighting aircraft, investigators would also examine whether other factors contributed to the collision.
Investigation to examine coordination
Vrettos said collisions between helicopters are uncommon but can occur in environments marked by intense pressure, emotional strain and fatigue.
“Command structures are responsible for ensuring crews operate safely. Whether coordination failed, appropriate measures were not taken or other omissions occurred will be determined by the investigation,” he said.
He added that the incident appears to involve human error but stressed that other significant factors may also have contributed to the final outcome.
Crews were operating under extreme pressure
Experienced helicopter pilot George Chiotakis, speaking to STAR television, said the crews had been operating under exceptionally demanding conditions and at the limits of their capabilities.
“It is still far too early for definitive conclusions, but the initial picture points to tragic human error,” he said.
Chiotakis described the intense workload facing firefighting crews.
“These people were working at full capacity under extremely difficult conditions. We cannot reach a final conclusion yet, but it is obvious this was a tragic human error,” he said.
He explained that helicopters can maintain safe separation before suddenly ending up on a collision course within seconds.
“One moment they are safely separated, and the next one turns slightly left while the other turns slightly right. They end up directly above each other, and the accident happens almost instantly,” he said.
According to Chiotakis, the crew of the first helicopter likely had no time to react.
He also supported the decision to ground all Bell helicopters following the accident, saying it would be impossible for crews to continue flying after witnessing such a tragedy.
All scenarios remain open
Aeronautical engineer Phaidon Karaiosifidis, speaking to Naftemporiki TV, said radar is not used during aerial firefighting operations.
“Everything is done visually by the pilots,” he said, explaining that each helicopter has a pilot and a crew member who acts as a liaison, relaying communications and operational information.
He added that firefighting aircraft normally operate in formations according to aircraft type, with each formation led by a designated leader.
Karaiosifidis stressed that all scenarios remain under investigation.
“It could involve an external factor, such as updrafts or downdrafts. What appears to have happened is that the two helicopters broke formation,” he said.
He cautioned that the causes cannot be determined remotely and said investigators would rely on witness testimony and physical evidence. He added that statements from the two surviving crew members of one helicopter are expected to play a crucial role in determining what led to the mid-air collision.
Also read: Helicopter collision: British pilot and Greek coordinator killed
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