Four people of Egyptian nationality died after a huge fire broke out in Cyprus Saturday, according to officials.

An official called the blaze the worst on record. The fire affected at least 10 communities over an area of 50 square kilometers in the foothills of the Troodos mountain range.

The victims were found dead close to the community of Odou, a mountainous community north of the cities of Limassol and Larnaca.

“All indications point to it being the four persons who were missing since yesterday,” said the Interior Minister Nicos Nouris.

Following the fire, fire-fighting planes departed from Greece to battle the fire, according to the European Commission.

Additionally, Italy was also planning to deploy aerial firefighters.

The Commission said in a statement that the EU’s emergency Copernicus satellite was also activated to provide damage assessment maps of the affected areas.

“It is the worst forest fire in the history of Cyprus,” Forestries Department Director Charalambos Alexandrou told Cyprus’s Omega TV.

Attempts were being made to prevent the blaze from crossing the mountains and stop it before reaching Machairas, which is a pine forestland and one of the highest peaks in Cyprus.

The cause of the fire remains unclear.