Greek air force Phantom F4 jet crashes at air show north of Athens, killing two pilots
Quick Look
- A Greek air force twin-seat Phantom F4 jet crashed during a low-altitude maneuver at an air show north of Athens on Saturday, killing both pilots.
- The crash triggered a fire that sent up black smoke plumes, but no spectators were injured.
- Eleven water-dropping aircraft and helicopters assisted 85 firefighters in containing the blaze, which led to the cancellation of remaining events and an evacuation order near the base.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The crash occurred during the Athens Flying Week, an annual air show held at Tanagra air force base, located 60km north of Athens. The aircraft involved was a twin-seat Phantom F4 jet performing a low-altitude maneuver when it crashed.
A Greek air force plane crashed at an air show north of Athens on Saturday, killing the two pilots, officials said, as thousands of people attended the event.
A fire after the crash sent up large plumes of black smoke. There were no injuries among the spectators. The crash of the twin-seat Phantom F4 jet took place during a low-altitude manoeuvre.
Air force officials in Greece said the bodies of the two pilots were located during a rescue operation, hampered in the early stages by the fire on the grounds of Tanagra air force base, 60km (40 miles) north of Athens.
Eleven water-dropping planes and helicopters helped 85 firefighters in an effort to contain the blaze, which remained at some distance from the viewing area at Athens Flying Week, an annual air show.
Organisers cancelled remaining events planned over the weekend, while the fire prompted an evacuation order in an area near the base.
Video footage of the crash showed a plume of smoke rising from the point of the impact followed by a larger, second explosion that happened nearby as the plane broke apart.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
An official investigation will be launched into the cause of the Phantom F4 jet crash.
Very likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- What caused the Phantom F4 jet to crash during the low-altitude maneuver?
- Were there any mechanical issues with the aircraft prior to the crash?
- Will there be an official investigation into the crash, and if so, by which authority?
