Greece wildfires: ‘We ran to the beach – then the trees burst into flames’

The 26 bodies were found huddled together, appearing to be in a last embrace. The group, many of them children, had been forced towards the sea in a bid to escape some of Greece’s worst ever wildfires, only to be engulfed just metres from the shore near the small resort town of Mati.

“We are assuming they became trapped by the fire because it was so strong and so fast. Some were huddled together as if trying to protect each other. They were badly burned and have not been identified yet,” Haris Malimagolou from the Hellenic Red Cross told The Telegraph.

The official death toll from the wildfires, described as a "biblical disaster", stood at 74 on Tuesday night, but was expected to rise. 

Survivors described…

To continue reading this article

Start a 30-day free trial for unlimited access to Premium articles

  • Unlimited access to Premium articles 
  • Subscriber-only events and experiences
  • Cancel any time

Free for 30 days

then only £2 per week

Try Premium

Save 25% with an annual subscription

Just £75 per year

 

Save now

Register for free and access one Premium article per week

Register

Only subscribers have unlimited access to Premium articles.Register for free to continue reading this article
RegisterOr unlock all Premium articles.
Free for 30 days, then just £1 per week
Start trial
Save 40% when you pay annually.
View all subscription options  |
Already have an account? Login

Login

Print subscriber? Click here

Click Here: Cheap Golf Golf Clubs