Turkish defense chief extends condolences to Greek counterpart for deadly plane crash

Turkish Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler had a telephone call Tuesday with his Greek counterpart, Nikos Dendias, and expressed condolences for firefighting pilots who died in Greece, according to a statement.

Güler said Türkiye is ready to support firefighting efforts.

Two pilots died when a plane deployed to help put out wildfires on the Greek island of Evia crashed earlier Tuesday in the coastal town of Karystos, according to media reports.

The Greek Air Force said pilot Hristos Mulas, 34, and co-pilot Periklis Stefanidis, 27, died in the crash.

Dendias declared three days of mourning for the Armed Forces for the loss of lives, the National Defense Ministry said in a statement.

Evia is Greece's second-largest island, less than half the area of Crete, but far closer to the mainland, lying roughly east and northeast of Athens, diagonal to the Attica peninsula.

Dozens of devastating wildfires have been ravaging Greece for days, including on the island of Rhodes, a tourist hotspot.

Several countries, including Türkiye, have reached out to help Greece in extinguishing the blazes, which have burned houses and forests.