Greek Jet Crash at Athens Air Show

An air show in Greece took a tragic turn on Saturday when a Greek air force jet crashed near Athens, resulting in the deaths of both pilots. The incident occurred at the Tanagra air force base during the Athens Flying Week event, witnessed by thousands of spectators.

The accident involved a twin-seat Phantom F4 jet which hit the ground during a low-altitude maneuver. Fortunately, no civilians were injured in the crash. Upon impact, the jet ignited, producing a large plume of black smoke. This led to the deployment of 11 water-dropping planes and helicopters to assist 85 firefighters in containing the fire.

Eyewitnesses were shocked by the crash’s swift occurrence, with one spectator noting, “It hadn’t been airborne for more than three minutes.” The air show organizers canceled the remainder of the events following the crash and evacuated the area.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed deep sorrow over the loss of the pilots, emphasizing the inherent risks faced by the country’s aviators who are always ready to defend Greece’s skies.

The bodies of the pilots were recovered later, as confirmed by officials. Cyprus’ Defense Minister Vasilis Palmas also conveyed his condolences, having contacted Greece’s Minister of National Defense, Nikos Dendias, about the incident.

In response to the tragedy, the Greek air force has declared three days of national mourning. This crash comes after a separate incident in May when two jets collided during an air show in Idaho, though those pilots managed to eject safely.