Terrace pilot killed in helicopter crash while fighting Greek wildfire
Rune Kyndal, a Danish pilot based in Terrace, died when two Bell helicopters collided above Athens on Aug. 2 while battling some of Europe's worst summer wildfires.
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A skilled helicopter pilot based in Terrace has been killed in a crash while fighting a wildfire west of Athens, Greece, on Aug. 2, 2026.
Rune Kyndal, 46, was piloting one of two Bell helicopters that came into contact in midair during firefighting operations. Kyndal and a Greek firefighting coordinator died in the crash. The British pilot of the second helicopter made an emergency landing; he and a Greek coordinator are now hospitalized.
Authorities are investigating the reasons behind the collision.
Kyndal had built a reputation as a skilled aviator. He had worked as a heli-skiing pilot in Terrace but switched to fighting fires because he believed the heli-skiing work was too dangerous. Transport Canada presented him with an award after he completed 5,000 hours of flying without incidents.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed his sorrow at the accident.
The crash adds to a tragic summer for Greece, where wildfires are among the worst currently burning in Europe. Five people in total have been killed fighting fires in Greece this summer.
By the numbers
Who was the pilot killed in the helicopter crash?
Rune Kyndal, a 46-year-old Danish pilot based in Terrace, died when his Bell helicopter collided with another helicopter on August 2, 2026, while fighting a wildfire west of Athens.
What caused the helicopter collision?
Authorities are investigating the reasons behind the collision between the two Bell helicopters during firefighting operations.
How many people died in the crash?
Two people died in the crash: Rune Kyndal and a Greek firefighting coordinator.
What was Rune Kyndal's flying record before the crash?
Rune Kyndal completed 5,000 hours of flying without incidents and received an award from Transport Canada for this achievement.
