Two Greek pilots killed as fighter jet crashes during Athens air show

Two Greek Air Force pilots died after an F-4 Phantom crashed during an air show at Tanagra military airport outside Athens.

The fighter jet took off for Athens Flying Week but began losing altitude only minutes later. Thousands of spectators watched as it struck the ground, exploded and started a fire. Authorities have not yet established what caused the sudden descent.

Around 100 firefighters and 13 aerial vehicles were sent to contain the blaze. According to Kathimerini, both pilots were highly experienced and did not activate their ejection seats. The newspaper reported that they may have made that choice while trying to steer the aircraft away from populated areas and the spectators at the event.

The crash forced the cancellation of the Athens Flying Week. Defense Minister Nikos Dendias returned to Athens from Thessaloniki, where he had been attending an international fair. An investigation is expected to examine what happened during the aircraft’s final minutes of flight.