Two pilots of a F-4 Phantom II fighter jet of the Hellenic Air Force have lost their lives this Saturday when their aircraft crashed during an airshow held at the Tanagra base. According to initial reports, the crew would not have had time to activate the ejection system before the impact.
The incident took place in the context of the Athens Aviation Week, while the two-seat fighter was executing demonstration maneuvers included in a very crowded show.
Firefighters and several medical teams immediately moved to the area, working on extinguishing the fire and securing the perimeter. Despite the spectacular nature of the accident, no casualties among the public or additional personal injuries have been reported.
Witnesses who were watching the show report that the aircraft first collided with a pole of an electrical line located on a nearby hill and then struck a pine tree. The wreckage of the plane has been scattered along a strip of about 500 meters.
After the accident became known, the Minister of Defense, Nikos Dendias, urgently left Thessaloniki, where he was scheduled to attend the Thessaloniki International Fair, to return to Athens and follow the progress of the investigation. The Greek president, Konstantinos Tasoulas, has also interrupted his agenda in Modona to return to the capital.