ATHENS – “We are mourning two men who gave battle to control the wildfire, two real fighters,” stated Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Christos Stylianides on Thursday, after a search-and-rescue operation recovered the dead bodies of two crew members of a firefighting helicopter that fell on Wednesday, during efforts to put out a wildfire on the island of Samos. The minister also conveyed his condolences to their families.

“Nothing can replace their people. The State will stand by them,” underlined Stylianides, while he wished the two surviving crew-members, who were being treated in hospital, a speedy recovery.

Stylianides said that an investigation to determine the causes of the accident will be launched immediately by the competent authorities.