Danish pilot killed in Greece devoted life to fighting fires

Rune Kyndal, a 46-year-old Danish helicopter pilot, died when two firefighting helicopters collided over forests west of Athens, DR reported. A Greek coordinator also died in the crash.

Kyndal’s older brother, Tue Kyndal, told DR that his brother had dedicated his life to firefighting operations and had spent the past 20 years working as a helicopter pilot.

The brothers became interested in flying after their father took them to Tirstrup Air Base and Brædstrup Airfield as children. The three Kyndal brothers are third-generation glider pilots and flew with their father from an early age.

Rune Kyndal initially studied to become an electronics engineer but left university to pursue his ambition of becoming a helicopter pilot. He later moved to Vancouver, where he worked servicing the timber and mining industries.

Based in Terrace, British Columbia, Kyndal worked in heliskiing during the winter, flying skiers to snow-covered mountains. He eventually stopped because he considered the work dangerous and instead focused on firefighting, with alternating months of work and leave.

“He actually thought firefighting was very safe to fly,” Tue Kyndal said.

According to his brother, Kyndal was a highly skilled and respected pilot. The Canadian aviation authority gave him an award after he completed 5,000 helicopter flight hours without an accident. He had given the award to his mother, who kept it on the mantelpiece at home in Fredericia.

Tue Kyndal was in contact with his brother as recently as the day before the crash. Rune had sent him a photograph of the somewhat larger and more powerful helicopter he was due to fly.

The cause of the collision remains unclear. The family is in contact with Danish and Greek authorities to bring Kyndal’s body home. He leaves behind a girlfriend in Terrace and her two young children, who had been a major part of his life.