3 killed in private helicopter crash on Greek island of Sifnos

Three people were killed after a private helicopter crashed on the Greek island of Sifnos, in the Cyclades archipelago in the Aegean Sea, on Monday, Greek national broadcaster ERT reported, reported Xinhua.

The helicopter crashed in the Tholos area, where the island's heliport is located, and a fire broke out at the site shortly after the crash, according to the Fire Service.

The three bodies were found burned during firefighting operations. Initial information indicated that the victims were two men and one woman, ERT reported.

The helicopter, a Bell 206, had taken off from Markopoulo, east of Athens, bound for Sifnos. It crashed a short distance from the heliport while approaching the island.

Residents told the deputy mayor of Sifnos that they heard a loud noise just seconds before the helicopter crashed, ERT reported.

The Fire Service's operations center was alerted to the incident at 6:17 p.m. local time (1517 GMT). Two firefighters and one vehicle were dispatched to the scene to extinguish the fire and assist in the response.

A rescue team from the nearby island of Syros was also being sent to Sifnos aboard a high-speed RAFNAR vessel operated by the Fire Service to reinforce personnel already at the scene.

Further details about the circumstances surrounding the crash were not immediately available.