Tourists Among Three Dead as Greece Battles Wildfires

Three people including two Vietnamese tourists died in Greece on Aug 8 as ferocious winds whipped up wildfires and disrupted ferry travel for tens of thousands of summer holidaymakers.

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PALAIA FOKAIA, Greece -

More than 200 firefighters backed by 11 water bombers and seven helicopters were battling a blaze in Keratea, south-east of Athens, Mr Costas Tsigkas, head of the association of Greek firefighter officers, told ERT state television.

"It's a difficult fire," he said, noting gusts of wind and reporting that several communities had been evacuated.

Firefighters discovered the body of an elderly person inside a burnt home in Keratea, while the wind was hampering water bombers' ability to operate, fire service spokesman Vassilis Vathrakogiannis told a press briefing.

An AFP journalist in the nearby town of Palaia Fokaia, around 45km south of Athens, saw fire consume a house and thick smoke choke the air.

Firefighters were sprinting to direct hoses and douse the flames, while a helicopter swooped overhead to drop water.