The Greek pilot of the second helicopter involved in a fatal mid-air collision while battling wildfires near Psatha told police he had no visual contact with the other aircraft, which was flying directly below his, according to a Star television report.
In an informal conversation with investigators, the pilot reportedly said, "I hadn't realized we had a helicopter directly beneath us, or that it was struck.
There was no visual contact."
Investigators with Greece's Organized Crime Directorate, often referred to as the country's "FBI," have so far taken statements from the pilot of a third Bell helicopter that was following the other two, the first doctor to arrive at the crash site, eyewitnesses, the person who filmed the collision, and staff from the National Coordination Center for Operations and Crisis Management (ESKEDIK).
Testimony from the third helicopter's crew, along with internal radio communications, is expected to help clarify the circumstances that led to the crash, which killed two crew members.
Nikos Lavranos, president of the Panhellenic Federation of Fire Service Employee Unions, said available evidence has so far ruled out mechanical failure in either aircraft.
Investigators are focused on communications, coordination and the aircraft's final movements before the collision, including flight recorder data, whether aerial coordination protocols were followed, and possible blind spots for the pilots.
Military aviation experts and arson investigation officials have conducted on-site inspections at both crash locations, photographing wreckage and components that may help determine the cause. Authorities are expected to decide soon on removing the wreckage, potentially using a Chinook helicopter.