What began as a Saturday air show outside Athens ended in tragedy when a Greek air force fighter jet went down in front of thousands of onlookers.
The two pilots aboard were killed in the crash at Tanagra Air Force Base, officials said, while spectators and other civilians were not injured.
The two-seat F-4 Phantom was performing a low-level maneuver just above the runway area when it slammed into the ground.
Smoke rises as spectators look on after a Hellenic Air Force F-4 Phantom fighter jet crashed during the Athens Flying Week airshow at Tanagra Air Force Base, north of Athens, Greece, on Saturday. (AP Photo/Kallista Allaway)
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed sorrow over the deaths, saying the country’s thoughts were with the pilots’ families. He said the accident underscored the risks Greek aviators face every day while remaining ready to defend the nation’s airspace.
The aircraft erupted in flames when it hit the ground, sending a thick column of black smoke into the sky. Authorities deployed 85 firefighters, backed by 11 water-dropping aircraft and helicopters, to bring the fire under control.
Footage from the scene appeared to show another burst of fire nearby as the fighter jet disintegrated on impact.
The pilots’ bodies were later recovered from the crash site.
Smoke rises after a Hellenic Air Force F-4 Phantom fighter jet crashed during the Athens Flying Week airshow at Tanagra Air Force Base, north of Athens, Greece, Saturday. (AP Photo/undefined)
“We were all stunned. It hadn’t been airborne for more than three minutes,” an eyewitness told ERT, Greece’s state-owned broadcaster.
The crash happened during the country’s annual Athens Flying Week.
The organizers canceled the rest of the events after the incident, and the area was evacuated.
Two pilots were killed in the crash. (Reuters)
“It is with deep sadness that I learned of the death of the two officers of the Hellenic Air Force, who lost their lives in the tragic accident that occurred during the air show at Tanagra Air Base,” Cyprus’ Defense Minister Vasilis Palmas said, adding he had called Nikos Dendias, Greece’s Minister of National Defense.
The air force has declared three days of mourning in the country.
In May, two jets collided during an air show in Idaho, but the pilots were able to safely eject.
