- Greek F-16 fighter jet crash-landed at the busy Zakynthos airport, causing significant disruptions.
- The plane burst into flames after crashing, but the pilot made a miraculous escape.
- A specialist air force team was expected to travel to the Ionian island to remove the aircraft from the runway and allow airport operations to resume.
- The airport's arrivals and departure boards indicated that all of Thursday's remaining flights were delayed until 21:00.
A Greek F-16 fighter jet crash-landed at Zakynthos Airport on July 9, closing one of Greece's busiest summer holiday terminals. The incident occurred around 13:45 local time when the aircraft, participating in a training flight, developed a technical fault and failed to deploy its landing gear.1
Shocking footage shows the jet engulfed in flames as firefighters rushed to the scene. Fortunately, the pilot ejected safely and is reported to be in good health. Local media indicated that the aircraft had received an indication of an onboard fire before landing, leading to an emergency response from airport personnel.
The runway was closed following the incident, causing significant delays for travelers. The airport's arrivals and departure boards indicated that all remaining flights for the day were delayed until 21:00, affecting those scheduled to leave hours earlier. A specialist air force team is expected to travel to the Ionian island to remove the aircraft and allow operations to resume.3
The causes of the incident are currently under investigation, as the Hellenic Air Force continues to assess the situation.
“A specialist air force team is expected to travel to the Ionian island to remove the aircraft from the runway and allow airport operations to resume. Meanwhile, the airport's boards indicate that all remaining flights for Thursday are delayed until 21:00, affecting those scheduled to leave earlier.”
The Independent
