Three people were recovered dead following the crash of a private helicopter near the Sifnos heliport in the Tholos area. The victims were the pilot and the two passengers of the private helicopter operated by Belavia, which crashed shortly after 6:00 p.m. in the Tholos area of Sifnos, near the heliport. According to reports, the passengers were a British couple, while the pilot was a Greek Army Air Force veteran. The British couple were newlyweds and were traveling to Sifnos for their honeymoon.
A fire broke out immediately after the crash. Rescue teams and firefighters rushed to the scene of the tragedy and quickly brought the fire under control. Reports that six people had died were, fortunately, not confirmed.
According to the deputy mayor of Sifnos, Manolis Foutoulakis, who spoke to Alpha, eyewitnesses emphasized that before the helicopter crashed, they heard a strange noise, possibly caused by a mechanical failure. Witnesses report seeing smoke coming from the helicopter as it approached the helipad.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
GSI: Navtex issuance for seabed surveys is “a matter of days”
According to Mr. Foutoulakis, the three people on board the helicopter were killed instantly, and virtually nothing remained of the helicopter: The tragedy occurred while the helicopter was less than fifty meters from the helipad’s runway. Based on witness accounts and the information available so far, the loss of the tail rotor is considered the most likely cause of the tragedy.
The helicopter crashed near homes. It had taken off from Markopoulo and crashed while attempting to land on the island.
According to the Fire Department, the Fire Department Operations Center was notified of the incident today, August 17, 2026, at approximately 6:17 p.m.
