An alert was raised at Greece’s Tanagra air base around midday on Saturday, September 5, after a two-seat F-4 Phantom fighter jet crashed during an aerial display at the Athens Flying Week air show.
There has been no official information so far on the condition of the aircraft’s crew. According to information obtained by philenews, the aircraft was not equipped with an ejection capability.
The circumstances of the crash remain unclear. Initial information indicates that the aircraft went down from low altitude onto the base’s runway shortly before landing, while hundreds of spectators were watching the display from nearby.
Witnesses said the aircraft appeared to be emitting smoke before it crashed. They also reported that it suddenly began losing altitude before going down.
According to initial information, the aircraft broke into two pieces and fires broke out at two separate locations. A firefighting helicopter was deployed to drop water on the flames as emergency crews worked to contain the blaze.
The crash shocked people at the scene, while organisers immediately began evacuating the area. The Athens Flying Week air show was suspended following the incident.
Athens Flying Week is being held at Tanagra air base on September 5 and 6, with Greek and foreign military aircraft taking part. The event’s official programme confirms the two-day schedule at Tanagra and includes F-4 Phantoms among the participating aircraft.
By Tamilla Hasanova
