Greek F-16 Crash-Lands At Zakynthos, Catches Fire
A Greek Air Force F-16 fighter jet crash-landed and caught fire at Zakynthos airport on Thursday after developing a technical fault during a training flight, forcing the closure of one of Greece's busiest summer holiday terminals. The pilot
A Hellenic Air Force F-16 fighter jet has crash-landed at Zakynthos airport, closing one of Greece's busiest summer holiday terminals. The aircraft, part of the 335th Squadron based at Araxos Air Base in western Greece, was on a training flight when it landed at approximately 13:45 local time on Thursday after developing a technical fault. The Hellenic Air Force confirmed the pilot was "in good health" and launched an investigation into the cause.
Reports indicate the aircraft received a fire warning before landing and ignited upon touching the runway, prompting an immediate emergency response from firefighters and airport personnel. According to Greek newspaper Kathimerini, the jet landed without deploying its landing gear and slid several dozen meters along the runway. The Hellenic Air Force has not commented on this report.
The incident occurred during the start of Greece's busy summer tourism season, when thousands of visitors typically travel to the island each week. Air Force specialists are expected to travel to the Ionian Islands to remove the aircraft from the runway and allow the airport to resume operations.
