Sifnos helicopter crash kills three in Greece

Three people were killed when a private helicopter crashed late Monday as it was taking off for a flight over the Greek island of Sifnos, the fire service said.

Kathimerini daily reported that the Bell helicopter came down in the sea seconds after taking off from a nearby helipad. It also reported that the pilot had been hired two months earlier.

The cause of the crash was not immediately known. The fire service said the crash triggered an alarm heard across Sifnos, a Cyclades island popular with tourists in summer.

Earlier in August, two hired Bell helicopters deployed to help fight a wildfire west of Athens collided in the air, killing the two-person crew on one of the aircraft.