Terrifying clip shows petrified people huddling together in sea to escape deadly Greek wildfires
Shocking footage of people in Greece huddling together in the sea with their prized possession has emerged which shows their desperate attempt to save themselves from wildfires swiftly spreading in Mati, east of Athens.
Authorities have announced that at least 91 people have been killed so far in the deadly blaze and residents in Mati, Athens, — pictured in the video — were at the epicenter of the fires.
Reports state that the footage was captured on Monday, July 23, by a survivor which shows dozens of people in the waist-deep water, trying to escape the flames. The clip also shows smoke filling the air around them as they embrace each other.
A fire brigade spokesperson said that the overall death toll of the blaze was expected to rise and over 1,000 homes have been destroyed. At least 300 vehicles were also burned in the fire, according to reports.
Officials have reportedly said that at least 30 of the 91 bodies recovered have been identified, according to the Daily Mail.
Reports state that a medical team, which includes forensic experts who assisted with their services during major disasters across the world, including the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, have flown into the capital to help with identifying the victims of the tragedy. The specialist team is reportedly from the Federal Criminal Police of Germany. The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami claimed the lives of over 200,000 people.
The German team also assisted in identifying the victims of a 2002 mid-air collision of a Russian charter flight and a DHL cargo plane over southern Germany. The collision claimed 71 lives.
According to reports, the victims' relatives have been asked to report to the city's mortuary until the weekend and deposit a DNA sample, which will assist in the identification process of their loved ones.
Athens Coroner Nikolaos Kalogrias said that the formal identification of the dead will not be expected until later next week as multiple bodies burned in the fire have been rendered unrecognizable.
Officials have said that the city's dental school members have also been involved in the identification process of the victims to speed up the procedures.