Three located after fire-fighting helicopter crashes off Samos
Three of the four missing crew members from a fire-fighting helicopter that crashed off the island of Samos have been located, the coast guard has said.
Among the three is the Romanian pilot, who has been taken to hospital.
The health status of the other two crew members is unclear.
The Soviet-made Mil Mi-8 medium twin-turbine helicopter took off from Samos at 4.39 p.m. with one Romanian and two Moldovan nationals, as well as a Greek translator, and fell into the sea at 5.55 p.m., it said.
A second Mi-8 and a Coast Guard vessel were searching the area for the other man.
A total of 27 firefighters four water-dropping aircraft and one helicopter were continuing to fight the blaze that broke out earlier on Wednesday in a forested area near the village of Palaiohori.
Authorities said the flames were fanned by winds up to force 6 in the area.
