A Hellenic Air Force F-4 Phantom fighter jet crashed and burst into flames Saturday during the Athens Flying Week air show, killing both pilots. The incident occurred at the Tanagra air force base north of Athens as thousands of spectators watched.
The twin-seat jet went down during a low-altitude maneuver, striking the ground just meters above it. Eyewitnesses reported the aircraft had been airborne for only about three minutes before the crash. Video of the incident shows a second explosion nearby as the plane broke apart.
No civilians were reported injured. Following the crash, 11 water-dropping planes and helicopters were deployed, along with 85 firefighters, to extinguish the blaze that sent a large plume of black smoke into the air. The bodies of the two pilots were later recovered.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed widespread grief, stating, "Our thoughts are with the families of the two pilots we lost." He added that the incident serves as a "reminder of the daily danger faced by Greece’s aviators, who remain on constant standby to protect Greece's skies."
Cyprus' Defense Minister Vasilis Palmas offered condolences, having spoken with Greece's Minister of National Defense. The air force has declared three days of mourning in Greece.
The organizers of Athens Flying Week canceled the remaining events of the air show, and the area was evacuated after the crash.
In May, two jets collided during an air show in Idaho, but the pilots were able to eject safely.