Sifnos: Investigation under way into Bell 206 crash that killed three

Evidence and witness statements

A preliminary investigation by the Hellenic Police is under way, with officers collecting evidence and taking statements from people who may have information about the circumstances of the crash.

Experts tasked with examining the crash site have been on Sifnos since Wednesday afternoon.

Three experts from the Hellenic Police’s Directorate for Combating Organised Crime and two from the National Organisation for the Investigation of Air and Railway Accidents and Transport Safety (EODASAAM) have travelled to the island.

Their examination of the site began on Thursday morning. The area has remained cordoned off since the crash and is being guarded by police officers who arrived in Sifnos from Naxos on Tuesday.

The Syros Criminal Investigation Department is also conducting an investigation, with a team travelling to the island on Tuesday evening.

As part of the preliminary investigation, officers from the Milos Police Department, working with the Sifnos Police Station, have collected available video footage of the helicopter crash.

The footage is expected to be examined by experts. Videos recorded shortly before the helicopter came down appear to show it spinning in the air.

Witness statements have also begun to be taken. Those questioned include the person responsible for the Sifnos heliport, near which the helicopter crashed.

Authorities are also expected to gather all available information about the Bell 206’s flight from the Markopoulo heliport in Attica, from where it took off bound for Sifnos.

Employees of the company that owned the helicopter and operated it as an air taxi have also given statements.

Based on the evidence gathered so far, and particularly footage recorded shortly before the crash, investigators are examining two main possibilities: a failure involving the helicopter’s tail rotor, or a health problem affecting the pilot.

Authorities have not, however, reached any conclusion and are continuing to investigate all possible causes.

Investigators have requested, or are expected to request, information from all relevant services that could contribute to establishing the circumstances of the accident.

This includes data from the Hellenic National Meteorological Service (EMY) on weather conditions at the time of the crash.

Information will also be sought from the Fire Service, which has already completed its report on the fire caused by the crash.

Authorities are also expected to request information from the Labour Inspectorate, as the pilot was employed by the company that owned the Bell 206.

Information held by the municipality concerning the operation of the Sifnos heliport will also be examined.

The British embassy has meanwhile been informed of the deaths of the two British passengers.

Following an order from a prosecutor, the three bodies are being transferred to the Piraeus Forensic Medical Service, where post-mortem examinations and the necessary laboratory tests will be carried out to establish the causes of death.

The transfer is being carried out on the prosecutor’s orders and under the responsibility of the Fire Service.

Once specialist teams have completed their examination of the crash site, the helicopter wreckage is expected to be moved to a secure location where it can undergo a detailed technical inspection.

Investigators will assess all available evidence, including witness statements, video footage, technical data, weather conditions and information concerning the flight and the operation of the heliport.

Once the investigations are complete, the evidence will be submitted to the prosecutorial authorities, which will assess the findings of both the preliminary investigation and the technical inquiry.

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