Three dead in private helicopter crash on Sifnos

On August 17, 2026, a private Bell 206 helicopter operated by Bellavia Aviation Services crashed near the helipad in the Tholos area of Sifnos, Greece. The aircraft, which had departed from Markopoulo, was on its final approach when it suddenly lost control and burst into flames, killing all three people on board. The victims have been identified as the 55-year-old Greek pilot, Giorgos Raikos, and a newlywed British couple, Alexander Cromie and Marie Ebert, who were traveling for their honeymoon.

Local authorities and firefighting teams responded immediately to extinguish the blaze. While initial reports were conflicting regarding the number of casualties, it was officially confirmed that there were three fatalities. Eyewitnesses reported hearing an unusual noise and seeing smoke before the helicopter began rotating in the air and losing altitude. Experts are currently analyzing video footage of the incident, with the loss of the tail rotor being investigated as a primary theory for the mechanical failure.

The investigation into the cause of the tragedy is being conducted by the National Bureau for Air and Rail Accident Investigation and Transportation Safety (EODASAAM). Authorities are currently reconstructing the flight path to determine the exact sequence of events during the final seconds of the flight.