Horrifying moment firefighting plane clips a tree before crashing and exploding in a canyon killing both men on board in Greece: Crew named as father-to-be captain, 34, and his co-pilot, 27

A Greek Air Force water-dropping plane crashed Tuesday as it dove into a bushfire in southern Greece, killing both pilots as authorities battled the fires amid a return of heat wave temperatures.

The crash took place on the island of Evia and was broadcast on a state television broadcast that showed the low-flying CL-215 plane disappearing into a canyon before a fireball was seen moments later.

The Air Force said the pilots, aged 34 and 27, both died in the crash. The aircraft had no ejection system.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis canceled a planned visit to Cyprus for Wednesday and three days of mourning were declared for the Greek armed forces.

“They offered their lives to save lives,” Mitsotakis said of the pilots.

Seconds later, a fireball went up. According to authorities, there were two people on board at the time

“They have proven the danger of their daily fire-fighting missions… In their memory, we continue the war against the destructive forces of nature.”

Shocking footage shows the moment the firefighting plane clipped a tree before crashing and exploding.

The crash occurred around 12:40 GMT (2:40 PM local time).

The plane crashed into a ravine on the heights of Karystos, where a fire broke out on Sunday, according to Greek officials.

The clip showed the plane taking on fire before disappearing into a ravine. Moments later, a fireball was seen.

The plane was along with at least three other planes and about a hundred firefighters fighting the flames on Evia.

State broadcaster ERT published the video of the plane crashing and disappearing behind a cloud of flames and black smoke.

The plane appeared to clip a tree moments after it dropped water on the wildfire, causing it to suddenly tilt dangerously close to the ground to the right.

As the plane banked in mid-air for another overpass, it quickly lost altitude and was unable to get over the hill, diving into the hill instead.

Two helicopters went to the scene to conduct a search and rescue operation, the Air Force said.

It said the outlook was not good for the airmen because the plane had no ejection system.

The accident occurred as Greece battled wildfires on three major fronts, including the tourist islands of Rhodes and Corfu, with many of the country’s regions listed at extreme risk of dangerous wildfires exacerbated by high winds.

Thousands have been forced to flee homes, hotels and resorts to escape food, with part of the island of Rhodes forced to walk to safety in 40-degree heat for 12 hours.

Hundreds of firefighters, aided by troops from Turkey and Slovakia, battled fires that had raged on the island since Wednesday and flared up again in hot, windy conditions.

Today, more emergency flights would bring holidaymakers home.

Mitsotakis said on Tuesday that the next few days will be difficult, with better conditions possible after Thursday.

“We’re all on guard,” he said. “In light of what the whole planet is facing, especially the Mediterranean Sea, a climate change hotspot, there is no magic defense mechanism, if there was we would have implemented it.”

An assessment by scientists on Tuesday said human-induced climate change has played an “absolutely overwhelming” role in the extreme heat waves that swept North America, southern Europe and China this month.

In Greece, a public prosecutor in Rhodes has launched an investigation into the causes of the fires and the authorities’ preparedness and response, state broadcaster ERT said. It said about 10 percent of the island’s land area had burned.

The plane appeared to clip a tree moments after it dropped water on the wildfire, causing it to suddenly tilt dangerously close to the ground to the right

As the plane banked in the air, ready to fly over again, it quickly lost altitude and was unable to get over the hill, instead diving into the hill.

Seconds after it disappeared from view of the camera, an explosion was seen from behind the hill, with thick black smoke rising into the sky

Two helicopters were rushed to the scene to conduct a search and rescue operation, the Air Force said. It gave no details about the fate of the airmen. Pictured: Thick black smoke rises from where the plane crashed earlier today

Much of southern Europe is experiencing one of the longest, driest and hottest summers on record, which scientists say has been caused by human-induced climate change.

Advancing fires closed Palermo airport in Sicily today as the Italian island recorded a temperature of 47 degrees.

Fires have also been reported in Croatia, France, mainland Italy, Spain, Turkey and Russia.

Lefteris Laoudikos, whose family owns a small hotel in the seaside town of Kiotari, Greece, one of the epicenters of the blaze over the weekend, said the 200 guests – mostly from Germany, Britain and Poland – were evacuated in rental cars.

He said his father, cousin and two others tried to douse the flames using a nearby water tank.

“When I saw the wind on Saturday and saw there were no planes, I told everyone we’re going to burn down today,” he said.

‘My father saved the hotel. I called him, and he wouldn’t leave. He told me “when I leave there will be no hotel”.’

John Hatzis, owner of three untouched hotels in the north of Rhodes, said the island needed to welcome tourists.

“After superhuman efforts to contain the fire, we need superhuman efforts to restart tourism now,” he said.

Rhodes, one of the largest islands in Greece, is one of the main summer destinations, attracting about 1.5 million foreign tourists during the summer months.

About 20,000 people had to leave their homes and hotels in Rhodes over the weekend as the inferno spread and reached coastal towns in the southeast of the verdant island, charring land, killing animals and damaging buildings.

After a fire in the seaside town of Mati, east of Athens, that killed 104 people in 2018, Greece has taken a more proactive approach to evacuations. But critics say it hasn’t improved its ability to put out fires that are common in summer, though more intense in this year’s heat wave.

The mayor of Rhodes said on Facebook that the island was facing an unprecedented ordeal.

A plane drops water over a forest fire in the village of Vati, on the Aegean Sea, southeastern Greece, on the island of Rhodes on Tuesday, July 25.

A Canadair plane drops water over a forest fire in the village of Vati, on the Aegean Sea, southeast Greece, on the island of Rhodes on Tuesday, July 25.

A military helicopter operates as flames set fire to a forest in the mountains near the village of Vati, on the Aegean island of Rhodes, southeastern Greece, on Tuesday, July 25

Locals watch the July 2 wildfires near the village of Vati, just north of the coastal town of Gennadi, in the southern part of the Greek island of Rhodes.

There were also fires on the island of Corfu.

Greece has seen very high temperatures in recent weeks and these will rise above 44°C in some areas through Wednesday.

More than 2,000 holidaymakers had returned home by plane on Monday, and tour operators canceled upcoming trips. TUI canceled flights to Rhodes until Friday. It said it had 39,000 customers in Rhodes on Sunday night.

Tourism accounts for 18 percent of Greece’s economic output and one in five jobs. On Rhodes and many other Greek islands, the dependence on tourism is even greater.