Brian O'Callaghan-Westropp and Zoe Holohan married on Thursday before flying out to the Greek resort of Mati - the epicentre of the hellish wildfires that authorities believe were started by arsonists
AN Irish newlywed husband has died in the Greece wildfires as the death toll from the "biblical disaster" hits 81.
Brian O'Callaghan-Westropp was swept up in the hellish flames in the coastal town of Mati where he was on honeymoon.
His new bride Zoe Holohan, who he married on Thursday, is currently being treated for serious burns in Athens.
They became separated in the panic as the town became overrun by a wall of flames — which authorities believe were started by arsonists before being fanned by strong gales.
Initially Mr O'Callaghan-Westropp had been reported missing, but this evening the Irish ambassador to Greece confirmed his body had tragically been found.
Ambassador Orla O'Hanrahan said: "Our sympathies and hearts go out to his family at this time."
His heartbroken family said in a statement: "We are deeply saddened to confirm the death of our family member, Brian O'Callaghan-Westropp.
"The families would respectfully appreciate privacy at this time as we grieve and as Zoe makes her recovery.
"Funeral arrangement will be announced at a later stage."
Brit tourists staying at the Ramada in Mati were among hundreds evacuated from hotels in the seaside town, about 10 miles northeast of Athens. On Brit is in hospital suffering burns.
Television footage showed tourists carrying suitcases and backpacks on coastguard vessels that took them to the nearby port of Rafina.
Emergency crews are now sifting through the charred remains of hundreds of homes and cars in fire-hit areas as it emerged nine-year-old twins are among the missing.
Some desperate families have now taken to social media and Greek TV to launch appeals for information on their loved ones.
Many of the dead were found in Mati where rescuer workers found the charred remains of families huddled together near a cliff. Others drowned after leaping into the sea.
Flags across Greece were flying at half-staff after the prime minister declared three days of national mourning for the victims.
The newly-wedded couple, who live in Dublin, had been dating for a few years before Brian proposed on a trip to Portugal last year, the Irish Daily Mail reported.
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Zoe works in the advertising department of the Sunday World newspaper, while Brian was an operations and HR manager.
He also volunteered for Blood Bikes East providing an emergency medical transport service around hospitals in Dublin.
Franco De Bonis from the charity described Brian as "a very charitable man", adding: "He's one of these people who you know when he's in the room.
"He has a big voice and he's the type who wants to get things done.
"He's a man of action and is very selfless. His heart is in the right place and will always want to help."
WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR:
He added: "Brian would never walk away from a situation knowing someone needed help".
A guest who attended their wedding six days ago — at Clonabreany House in Co Meath — told The Sun: “You couldn’t meet a nicer couple and they were just so happy together.
"It’s awful to think that they have been caught in such a terrible disaster. Everyone is just hoping that they are OK and are home soon.”
Last night a source told Dublin Live: "It was a scene of total chaos. They were forced to flee from their homes and into the inferno.
"They jumped into the booth of a passing car but the flames were raging on both sides.
“They were forced out of the vehicle and tried to make a run for it. In the smoke and the flames they became separated.
“She suffered burns to her head and hands and is now in a Greek hospital recovering. Her husband is missing.”
A search for survivors continued today after the worst wildfire to hit Greece in more than a decade.
Huge, fast-moving flames trapped families with children as they tried to flee from Mati, 18 miles east of the Greek capital.
On Tuesday the bodies of 26 adults and children who apparently died embracing each other were found on a cliff top.
Coastguards rescued around 700 people from the water.
Rescuers are now searching houses, cars and the coastline for survivors and victims of the fires, amid fears the death toll will rise.
The Greek prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, said a state of emergency had been declared in the Attica region, which includes Athens, and ordered three days of national mourning.
“Greece is going through an unspeakable tragedy,” he said, adding: “We mustn’t let mourning overwhelm us, because these hours are hours of battle, unity, courage and above all solidarity.”
An Irishwoman living on the outskirts on Athens described the apocalyptic scenes.
Terry Corden told RTE Radio One’s Liveline show yesterday: "The winds were horrendous yesterday so everything is charred, if you look at photos of cars they’re just gone and there’s nothing to be seen.
"People are missing - mothers and daughters, father and sons, people are putting up Facebook posts asking if people have seen their family members.
"I don’t think we’ll know for a few days exactly how many people have died because there are a lot of people missing.
She added: "They need medicine, they need blood, they need antibiotics, it’s terrible.
"People have gone missing, they’re (the emergency services) finding bodies charred in the area."
One woman told Skai TV: "Mati doesn't even exist as a settlement any more. I saw corpses, burnt-out cars. I feel lucky to be alive."
Survivor Kostas Laganos said: "It burned our backs and we dived into the water...I said: 'My God, we must run to save ourselves.'"
At least 81 people have been killed, 1,000 homes destroyed and more than 150 injured.
The youngest victim is said to be six months old.
People have been told to leave their homes after high winds whipped up forest fires on either side of Athens, burning homes and turning the sky over the capital a hazy orange from the smoke.
Officials are using US military drones “to observe and detect any suspicious activity” after it emerged that 15 of the blazes broke out at the same time in different locations outside Athens.
Italy, Germany, Poland and France have all sent help in the form of planes, vehicles and firefighters, while Spain and Cyprus have also offered assistance.
A combination of a dry winter and a hot summer where temperatures have risen above 40C are said to have created tinderbox conditions. However, heavy rain was forecast across southern Greece on Wednesday.
Powerful, hot winds spread the flames, forcing hundreds from their homes.
There is growing speculation the infernos may be the result of arson, local news outlet
The first fire broke out in a pine forest near the seaside settlement of Kineta, 30 miles west of Athens between the capital and Corinth.
The holiday resort of Mati in the Rafina region, 18 miles north east of Athens, was devastated by a blaze that started at about 5pm local time on Monday.
The fires spread rapidly into packed tourists areas in popular holiday seaside areas, trapping those who were in their cars or homes.
Greece's interior minister Panos Skourletis described the fires as a "national tragedy" and a "biblical disaster with human losses."
At least 81 people have been killed so far with over 150 injured.
The youngest victim was a six-month-old baby who died of smoke inhalation.
Ten tourists drowned when a boat capsized trying to rescue them from gale-driven forest fires.
On Tuesday officials found 26 bodies, apparently families, huddled tightly together in "a final attempt to protect themselves".
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