The Czech Republic offered a special police helicopter to Greece suffering from devastating fires that have already claimed 63 lives, Czech Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zuzana Opletalova said on Monday.
Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg has approved aid worth up to 246,000 U.S. dollars to Greece to be provided in the form of loaning the Czech police rescue service helicopter Bell 412 HP with a five-men crew, equipped with a reservoir for 900 liters of water, according to the ministry.
"We are able to leave during Tuesday, but we must first obtain all necessary permits from the countries whose territories the helicopter would cross," police air service deputy chief Vaclav Sladecek said.
Czech firemen do not plan to leave for Greece yet and they will provide primarily organizational help, such as communication with foreign partners, said Petr Kopacek, spokesman for the Firefighters ' Corps General Directorate.
Greece declared a nationwide state of emergency on Saturday as the unprecedented wave of wildfires has ravaged the country, particularly the southern region of Peloponnese.
According to a report by Greece's Net TV, a total of 60 new blazes broke out in the southeast European country on Sunday and the death toll has subsequently risen to 63 by Monday morning.
Source: Xinhua
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