Athens, Sep 06 (V7N)- An F-4 Phantom fighter jet crashed during an air show near the Greek capital Athens, killing its two pilots, officials said.
The crash occurred at Tanagra Air Base on Saturday (September 5), Reuters reported.
Officials said the two-seat fighter jet crashed about two kilometers from the airbase. No spectators or local residents were injured in the incident.
Footage broadcast by Greek state broadcaster ERT showed the aircraft making a right turn just a few meters above the ground before crashing. The jet immediately caught fire, with flames spreading to nearby forested areas.
Eleven firefighting aircraft and helicopters were deployed to contain the blaze. Authorities also ordered people in the vicinity to evacuate through loudspeaker announcements from the airbase.
“We were all shocked. The plane had not been in the air for three minutes,” a witness told ERT.
The F-4 Phantom was participating in the annual Athens Flying Week air show, which features military and civilian aviation teams from several countries.
END/SMA/AJ
