politics
Greek F-16 Crash-Lands at Zakynthos Airport on Training Flight
A Greek F-16 fighter jet developed a technical fault during a training flight and crash-landed at Zakynthos Airport. The pilot escaped unharmed, but the runway closure delayed flights until at least 9pm and diverted several international services.
Jul 9, 7:36 PM·1m read1 source
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A Greek F-16 fighter jet crash-landed on the runway at Zakynthos Airport after developing a technical fault during a training flight, GB News reported. The aircraft hit the ground at approximately 1.45pm local time without deploying its landing gear. The Hellenic Air Force stated the jet belonged to the 335 Squadron of the 116th Combat Wing based at Araxos Air Base.
Greek media reported the aircraft was alight before landing and caught fire on the runway. The pilot escaped the wreckage in good health and was taken by helicopter to the 117th Fighter Wing in Andravida for medical examinations, according to Greek outlet Ta Nea. An urgent probe was launched to determine the cause of the technical error.
The runway was closed after the incident, forcing all flights at Zakynthos Airport to be delayed until at least 9pm. A British Airways flight from London Heathrow scheduled for 2.50pm was diverted to Athens, an easyJet flight from Milan was sent to Corfu, and a Wizz Air flight from Budapest was diverted to Athens.
A specialist team later removed the aircraft and cleared the runway of debris, allowing flights to resume.
