Desperate search for twin girls missing in fires as dad 'spots them in TV cross'

A desperate search is underway to locate nine-year-old twin girls who are among those missing following the deadliest fires to hit Greece in decades.

At least 81 people were killed by the bushfires that swept through a resort in Mati on Monday night, trapping people in cars and on the edge of cliffs as others were forced to jump into the sea to survive.

Yiannis Philippopoulos was searching for his missing daughters Sofia and Vasiliki Philippopoulos when he thought he saw them on a rescue boat during a live news cross on Greek television.

He said he and their mother had searched the local area for the girls in hospitals, police stations and a morgue before the TV report, CNN Greece reported.

The father took the footage of what he thinks is a shot of his daughters to police but was unable to find any further information regarding their whereabouts.

The Greek coast guard said it had no record of the girls’ whereabouts or their condition.

Then in a devastating twist another man has reportedly told Greek media that the girls appearing in the news footage were his.

The boat captain reportedly told a local TV station he thought the girls in the video were on board with their parents.

Mr Philippopoulos’ parents, who were with the girls when the fires began, are also missing.

Dozens more remain missing in Greek fires

On top of 81 recorded deaths, almost 190 people were injured from the blaze around the Attica region including 23 children, according to the Civil Protection Agency.

Dozens more remain missing yet authorities are unsure if the reported missing people are deceased as they continue to identify the bodies.

The Greek anti-terror service is investigating if the fires were deliberately lit.