Greek island loses power after fatal helicopter crash

Poros was without electricity overnight following the tragedy

The island of Paros in Greece is without electricity (Alamy Stock Photo)

The Greek island of Poros is without electricity after a helicopter crash on Tuesday.

Two Russian passengers and the Greek pilot died when their helicopter came down into the sea.

A rescue effort was immediately launched, including a helicopter search team, but after two hours three bodies were recovered from the sea.

The island is a few hundred metres off the coast of the Peloponnese, and an hour by hydrofoil from Piraeus, the port for Athens.

It is not clear if the crash was caused by the helicopter striking the power lines or whether the pilot lost control and then hit them.

The lines from the mainland are the only source of power for Poros.

Geoffrey Baser, a regular British visitor to the island, said: “Overnight generators and engineers have arrived. Hoping for power later today.”

Poros has long been popular with British visitors, offering a more relaxed lifestyle than more celebrated Greek islands. It also offers easy access to the sights of the Peloponnese and the island of Hydra.