One dead, five missing after Athens building blast

One woman has died and five people remain missing after an explosion caused a residential building to collapse in a popular tourist district of central Athens, Greek authorities said on Saturday.

The blast occurred on Friday in the Plaka area, close to major tourist attractions including the Acropolis and the Temple of Olympian Zeus. The explosion destroyed a two-storey building and left three people injured.

The blast also damaged nearby homes, shops and vehicles, while debris from the collapsed structure spread across the area.

Emergency crews continued search and rescue operations on Saturday with the assistance of specially trained dogs. Rescuers recovered the body of a young woman from the rubble as they searched through the heavily damaged building.

Authorities were also looking for an elderly couple who lived in one of the apartments and four tourists who had been staying in another part of the building.

Police said the tourists were expected to leave the accommodation on Friday to catch a flight from Athens airport but failed to arrive. Their nationalities have not yet been confirmed.

The cause of the explosion remains under investigation. Officials have not established what triggered the blast, although Athens Mayor Haris Doukas said an issue involving the gas infrastructure could have been responsible.

The incident occurred in an area popular with tourists and known for its hotels and short-term rental properties. Emergency services have secured the site while rescue teams continue searching for those still unaccounted for.