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Greek Air Force F-4 Phantom crash at Tanagra airshow

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2026-09-10 16:53 UTC → 2026-09-10 17:37 UTC · added ~~removed~~

On September 5, 2026, an F-4E Phantom II fighter jet crashed during the Athens Flying Week airshow at Tanagra Air Base, resulting in the deaths of two Greek Air Force pilots, ~~identified as~~ Squadron Leader Ioannis Bletsas, 40, and Flight Lieutenant Dimitrios Petrou, 37. Both pilots were highly experienced, each possessing over 1,500 flight hours. The aircraft, part of the 338th Squadron of the 117th Combat Wing, reportedly lost approximately 800 feet of altitude while performing a high-speed, high-G right-hand turn to realign with the runway at a critically low altitude, approximately 3 nautical miles from the runway, at approximately 14:55. Witnesses observed smoke before the jet impacted the ground near two hangars or warehouses, which subsequently caught fire. The crash ignited fires in a nearby agricultural machinery factory and a forested area, necessitating a large-scale response from 85 firefighters and multiple aircraft. Debris from the crash struck a factory roof in an industrial area between Schimatari and Dilesi, injuring two migrant workers who were subsequently transported to a hospital in Chalkida. Following the tragedy, Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias declared three days of national mourning. Funeral services for the pilots were held in Pyrgos and Ioannina. The service for Flight Lieutenant Petrou in Katsika, Ioannina, was held at the Holy Church of Saints Constantine and Helen, attended by military leadership and Ministry of National Defense representatives; the service had been postponed to allow for the completion of the identification process. Petrou is survived by his wife and daughter. In response, the Greek Parliament is finalizing a financial support program for the pilots' children, which is expected to provide 10,000 euros annually to each child until they reach age 25, provided they are studying, with total assistance estimated at 170,000 euros. The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) has submitted parliamentary questions to the Ministry of National Defense, seeking clarification on the legal and contractual framework between the government and the private company organizing the event, specifically regarding the use of taxpayer-funded military assets and personnel for a private commercial enterprise. An official investigation by the Air Accident Investigation Committee is underway.

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