Greece: Plane fighting wildfires crashes
Wildfires ripping across the Mediterranean intensified yesterday, as Greece continued to burn and blazes erupted in Italy
and Croatia.
In one of history’s largest tourist evacuations, more than 2,000 British holidaymakers were repatriated from Greek island Rhodes, where at least 19,000 people fled homes and hotels.
A plane dropping water bombs crashed into a hillside in a fireball on the island of Evia, east of Athens, killing Greek Air Force commander Christos Moulas, 34, and co-pilot Pericles Stefanidis, 27.
The crisis spread to Sicily, where Palermo’s airport was temporarily closed.
In Dubrovnik, southern Croatia, 100 firefighters were tackling a blaze fanned by strong winds and searing heat.
READ MORE Another holiday destination is up in flames as deadly wildfires ravage Sicily
The latest outbreak comes as a heatwave envelops Europe. Temperatures in Jerzu, Sardinia, reached 48.2C on Monday, close to the 2021 all-time European record of 48.8C. Sixteen cities have been on red alert.
Thousands of British tourists were fleeing Rhodes while authorities issued fresh evacuation orders in Corfu and put Crete on standby.
As many as 10,000 Brits were thought to be on Rhodes. Many had to go to emergency shelters in schools, airports and sports centres as they awaited flights home. Had the island been on a red list of dangerous destinations – where all but essential travel is advised against – operators would be forced to cancel holidays.
But travel expert Simon Calder said holiday giants Jet2 and Tui were already operating a de facto “no-go” policy until Sunday. He added: “Ninety per cent of the island appears to be safe and functioning. If travel firms can offer safe and enjoyable holidays in Rhodes, I can see no reason to warn off holidaymakers.”
Greek tourism minister Olga Kefalogianni urged Brits to keep flying to Rhodes, where temperatures soared above 40C yesterda
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She said hotels hit by the emergency accounted for less than a fifth of the island’s total capacity.
Clare and James Gorick and sons Harry, 13, and Wilfie, 10, were forced to fly home three days into their week-long Rhodes holiday.
Clare, 46, of Ely, Cambs, said: “It was terrifying, really frightening, a huge amount of smoke.” Claire Pickett, husband Golan Lambranzi and their daughter Alice, two, were evacuated and taken on a military boat. Claire, 37, of Sidcup, South East London, said: “It was scary, we didn’t know where we were going or what was happening. You just want to protect your children.”
Many blame global warming for the powder-keg conditions.
But an arsonist has been accused of starting fires on the arid island of Corfu, after visiting three locations on Mount Pantokrator. Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis said his country was “at war”. He added: “There is no magical defence mechanism. If there was, we would have implemented it.”
Housing Secretary Michael Gove insisted he was still going on holiday to Evia next week and said the region was safe for tourists.
In a rapidly changing situation, Jet2 cancelled all flights and holidays to Rhodes until Sunday. EasyJet is allowing those who booked travel to or from Rhodes until Saturday to change to another date, while laying on extra flights to the UK. The airline has repatriated more than 500 holidaymakers.
Thomas Cook has axed all holidays to Kiotari and Lardos, on Rhodes, until Monday. Ryanair continues to operate there. British Airways has normal services, but people can return early or change their flight for free.
Overall, 50 scheduled flights are planned from Rhodes this week. All outbound flights and holidays are cancelled until Sunday.
Elsewhere, wildfires have killed 34 people, including 10 soldiers fighting the flames in Algeria. In neighbouring Tunisia, the village of Melloula was evacuated.
Meanwhile, Berlin was battered by a fierce storm. And two women were killed by falling trees in northern Italy as hailstones the size of tennis balls rained down.
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