Overview
- A twin-seat Hellenic Air Force F-4 Phantom crashed during a solo display at Athens Flying Week at Tanagra Air Base, sending a thick plume of black smoke into the sky in front of thousands of spectators on Saturday.
- Event organisers immediately suspended the show and used loudspeakers to evacuate the crowd as firefighters and emergency crews moved toward the impact zone.
- Rescue and firefighting forces deployed heavily to the scene with about 85 firefighters in 23 vehicles plus multiple water-dropping aircraft and helicopters to contain large ground fires.
- Authorities have not confirmed the fate of the two crew members and public footage of the crash does not show parachutes or clear evidence of ejection, leaving crew status as unresolved.
- Officials said they will launch an investigation to determine the cause of the crash and the incident could prompt renewed safety reviews for public aerial displays given the aircraft’s proximity to the spectator area.