A British couple traveling to the Greek island of Sifnos on their honeymoon were killed when their chartered Bell 206 helicopter crashed near the island’s heliport on August 17, 2026.
Alexander Cromie and Marie Ebert died along with the helicopter’s Greek pilot, Giorgos Raikos. All three people aboard were killed.
The helicopter had departed from Markopoulo, near Athens, and was flying to Sifnos, an island in the Cyclades about 150 miles southeast of the Greek capital. It crashed on a hillside in the Tholos area, close to the heliport, at about 18:15 local time.
The impact sparked a fire that destroyed much of the aircraft. Greece’s fire service said crews recovered the bodies of the three occupants from the crash site.
Video recorded near the heliport appears to show the helicopter descending while rotating before it disappeared behind buildings. A fireball and column of black smoke can be seen moments later.
Residents reported hearing an unusual noise from the helicopter shortly before the crash. The cause of the accident has not been determined, however, and investigators have not confirmed that the aircraft suffered a mechanical failure.
The Greek Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport said the National Organisation for the Investigation of Air and Railway Accidents and Transport Safety is leading the investigation.
Aviation reports identified the helicopter’s operator as Greek charter company Bellavia Aviation Services.
Cromie worked as a vice president in Blackstone’s private wealth solutions business. Ebert was a senior specialist at consulting firm Bain & Company.
“We are shocked to read reports of a tragic accident in Greece regarding one of our colleagues and her husband,” a Bain spokesperson told The Guardian. “Our thoughts and support are with the families involved at this very difficult time.”
Raikos was a former Greek military officer who continued flying professionally after leaving the armed forces.
The crash occurred two weeks after two firefighting helicopters collided while battling a wildfire northwest of Athens. Two crew members aboard one of the helicopters were killed, while the second aircraft made an emergency landing.