Athens, September 07: Two pilots were killed when a Greek Air Force F-4 Phantom fighter jet crashed during the annual ‘Athens Flying Week’ air show held north of the Greek capital Athens. The plane, which was performing a low-altitude stunt at Tanagra Airbase as thousands of spectators watched, suddenly crashed into the ground and burst into flames.
Although there was no danger to spectators in the tragedy, all performances for the weekend have been canceled due to a massive fire on the airbase premises.
Low-altitude stunt: During a show at Tanagra Airbase, about 60 km from Athens, the two-seater F-4 Phantom jet lost control and crashed while making a right turn close to the ground.
Series of explosions and thick smoke: The first explosion occurred moments after the plane hit the ground, sending black smoke into the sky. Then, as parts of the plane broke apart, another massive explosion occurred nearby.
The plane reportedly hit the ground so fast that the pilots did not have time to parachute out. The bodies of both pilots were recovered after a search operation.
Massive firefighting exercise: The plane crash caused a fire to spread throughout the airfield and surrounding forest areas. 85 firefighters, 11 water-spraying planes and helicopters were deployed to bring the fire under control.
Evacuation order: Although the fire was a short distance from the audience gallery, residents near the airfield were advised to evacuate as a precautionary measure.
Air show canceled: All other air shows were canceled immediately following the incident. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Cypriot Defense Minister Vassilis Palmas expressed their deepest condolences to the families of the deceased pilots.
It was one of the last flights of the historic jet: The F-4 Phantom fighter jets have been in service with the Greek Air Force since 1974. Greece plans to retire the aircraft soon, and this year’s ‘Athens Flying Week’ was one of the last public displays of the aircraft.
3 days of official mourning: The Greek Air Force has declared 3 days of official mourning following the deaths of two Hellenic Air Force officers on duty in the disaster.
Remembering the 2023 disaster: In January 2023, a similar Greek F-4 jet crashed into the Ionian Sea during a low-altitude training mission, killing two pilots.