Three die in private helicopter crash on Greek island

A private helicopter crashed as it was taking off for a flight over the touristed Greek island of Sifnos late Monday, killing three people on board, the fire service said.

The Kathimerini daily said the Bell helicopter came down in the sea just seconds after taking to the air from a nearby helipad. It reported that its pilot had been hired just two months ago.

The cause of the accident was not immediately known.

The Greek fire service said that the crash triggered an alarm heard across the island in the Cyclades, which is popular with tourists over the summer months.

Earlier in August, two hired Bell helicopters deployed to help fight a wildfire west of Athens collided in the air, killing the two-man crew on one of the aircraft.

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