THIS is the terrifying moment families dash into the sea and swim away in a desperate attempt to escape deadly wildfires in Greece.
Heart-stopping footage showed Hellenic Red Cross volunteers pulling up frightened survivors as a hellish inferno tore through their neighbourhood.
The dramatic footage was captured in Vrachneika, Achaia, over 200km from the Greek capital, Athens, on Tuesday.
It showed a frantic rescue operation unfold, with several locals being hauled onto a boat after jumping into the water to avoid the flames.
In the distance, nightmare wildfires can be seen ripping through the landscape.
The sky appears to be filled with ash, the only light piercing through the grey clouds being the orange hue coming from the hellish flames.
It comes as fire crews across the country race to contain a number of other wildfires.
In Patras, jaw-dropping footage showed flames violently burning through trees around two bridges.
The nightmare scenes showed strong winds gushing through the area, sparking even more trees alight.
The wildfires have not only hit Greece – they have also been reported in a range of other Brit holiday hotspots across Europe.
Wildfires killed one person in Spain as authorities warned the situation remained “serious”.
The 37-year-old volunteer firefighter sustained severe burns north of Madrid before succumbing to his injuries earlier this week.
It was the third reported death in Spain due to the recent horror fires.
Thousands of holidaymakers have been evacuated from their hotels as the massive fires continue to wreak havoc.
Tourists were fleeing Greece’s Zakynthos and Kefalonia islands “by the minute” on Wednesday as fires continued to rip through the Mediterranean.
Three people have been arrested in connection with the fire, which authorities said could have been deliberately set.
Evacuation centres were also filled to max capacity in parts of central Spain, with some spending the night outdoors on folding beds.
Train services on the high-speed rail line connecting Madrid to the Galicia region in the northwest were halted due to fires nearing the tracks, according to state rail company Renfe.
In Turkey, a forestry worker was killed on Wednesday while responding to a wildfire in a southern region, officials said.
Turkey has been combating intense wildfires since late June, with a total death toll of 18 people, which includes 10 rescue volunteers and forestry workers who lost their lives in July.
In Greece, the latest nation afflicted by intense fires, officials have instructed young British tourists to vacate their hotels as a precaution.
A local official described the situation as “an unending nightmare,” with homes, farms, and factories in Patras and extensive areas of northern and central Greece being ravaged by the fires.
Since Wednesday morning, 4,850 firefighters backed by the army and 33 planes have been scrambled across Greece.
