Overview
- A military F4 Phantom lost altitude and crashed shortly after takeoff during the Athens Flying Week airshow near Athens, producing a large explosion and killing both pilots.
- Eyewitness reporting by the public broadcaster ERT said the pilots did not appear to have activated their ejection seats before impact.
- Organizers suspended and then cancelled the remainder of the airshow after the crash, which was seen by thousands of spectators.
- Emergency services deployed multiple firefighting aircraft and helicopters to extinguish fires and secure the site, and the defence minister went to the scene to oversee the response.
- Authorities have opened a formal investigation to determine the cause, and officials are arranging support for the pilots’ families as investigators collect evidence and review the aircraft’s systems.