In brief
On Thursday, a Greek F‑16 fighter jet performed a crash‑landing at Zakynthos airport after a technical fault. The aircraft caught fire, slid across the runway without landing‑gear, and forced a closure that delayed numerous flights. The pilot was unharmed, and an investigation is underway. The incident has disrupted the island’s early summer tourist season, especially flights from the UK.
A Greek F‑16 fighter jet performed a brutal crash‑land on the runway of Zakynthos airport on Thursday, sparking a fiery blaze that halted the island’s busiest tourist traffic.
The aircraft, on a scheduled training flight, suffered a technical fault and entered the runway at 13:45 local time (10:45 GMT). The pilot was reported in good health, but the cause of the incident is under investigation.
Media reports say the jet received an onboard fire warning before landing. Fire crews fought a blaze that engulfed the aircraft, which slid for dozens of metres after failing to deploy its landing‑gear.
As a result, the runway was shut for most of the day, delaying dozens of arrivals and departures, many of which were part of the early summer holiday surge from the UK.
Air force sources identified the jet as a member of the 335 Squadron, 116th Combat Wing, based at Araxos Air Base in western Greece.
