Plane fighting Greece wildfires crashes into hillside during dramatic live TV report

An aircraft sent to fight the wildfires across the Greek islands has crashed and burst into flames during its mission.

State broadcaster ERT said the accident occurred over the town of Karystos on the island of Evia near Athens, where a fire has been burning.

Earlier footage from onboard a Turkish aircraft shows the sheer devastation in Greece as another plane flies through thick black smoke to tackle the wildfires.

An average of 50 new wildfires have broken out daily for the past 12 days in Greece, according to government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis. Over the weekend 64 new blazes were recorded.