Death toll reaches 87 and pressures for resignations in the aftermath of the Greek wildfires

EKathimerini/BBC/GreekReporter : A 62-year-old man died at an Athens hospital on Friday as a result of extensive burn injuries, raising the toll from Monday’s deadly east Attica wildfires to 87.

The man had been on life support at the capital’s Evangelismos Hospital, but doctors were unable to save his life.

The Athens Forensic Department on Friday said that it has conducted 86 autopsies on victims of the wildfires, though the fire department put the official number of dead at 83.

There are concerns that the toll will rise further as dozens of people have been reported missing and rescuers haven’t finished searching the affected area and all of its buildings.

Greece’s opposition accused the government on Friday of arrogance and an utter failure to protect lives in responding to a devastating wildfire as questions remained unanswered over how at least 86 people died in the town of Mati.

Survivors of one of the worst Greek disasters in living memory already heckled a government minister when he visited the scene less than 30 km (17 miles) east of Athens on Thursday. But on Friday an official three days of mourning declared by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras ended, and his opponents immediately went on the offensive.

The Royal Family of the United Kingdom sent their sympathies to Greece after the fires that destroyed a big part of East Attica.

Queen Elizabeth sent a message to Greece’s President Of the Republic Prokopis Pavlopoulos: “Prince Philip and I offer our deepest sympathies to the people of Greece in the wake of the devastating fires in Attica and across Greece. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the victims of this terrible tragedy and to all those who have lost their homes. “I pay tribute to the courage and dedication of the Greek emergency services and the volunteers that have provided support.”

Similarly, Charles, Prince of Wales, sent the following message to the president: “Having been with you in Athens only recently, and recalling the joy of our visit and the welcome we received from the Greek people, we can only assure you of our affectionate thoughts and special prayers at such a heartbreaking time.”