A three-day period of mourning has been declared across the Greek Armed Forces following the tragic accident that occurred on Saturday afternoon (05/09) at Tanagra, when an F-4E Phantom II jet crashed, killing two Hellenic Air Force pilots. As announced by the Ministry of National Defence, “by order of Defence Minister Nikos Dendias, a three-day period of mourning is declared across the Armed Forces, from today, Saturday, September 5, 2026, through Monday, September 7, 2026, for the loss of the two crew members of the F-4E Phantom II fighter jet during the Athens Flying Week.”
Defence Minister Nikos Dendias immediately expressed his condolences over the loss of the two pilots and rushed back to Athens upon hearing the tragic news. “The news of the deaths of two Hellenic Air Force pilots in the accident at Athens Flying Week fills us all with profound sorrow. Our thoughts at the Ministry of National Defence are with their families and colleagues, to whom we extend our most sincere condolences,” he stated.
Phantom crash at Tanagra: what the Hellenic Air Force announced
“On Saturday, September 5, 2026, at 14:55, an F-4E Phantom II aircraft of the 338 Squadron, 117 Combat Wing, participating in the ‘Athens Flying Week 2026’ airshow, crashed approximately 3 nautical miles southeast of the 114 Combat Wing, fatally injuring both crew members, Flight Lieutenant (P) I.M. and Squadron Leader (P) D.P. The causes of the accident are being investigated by a dedicated Hellenic Air Force committee,” the official Air Force statement read.
Timeline of the tragedy
The tragic accident occurred at around 3:00 p.m. on Saturday (05/09) during the Athens Flying Week airshow at Tanagra air base. Just before the fighter jet went down, it had completed a low pass in front of the crowd, who watched in amazement as the pilots performed their maneuvers.
Fire at the crash site brought under control
Roughly two minutes after takeoff, shock and silence fell over the crowd, as stunned spectators struggled to process what had just happened while organizers worked to keep the public calm. A large fire broke out at the crash site and quickly spread to a nearby forest and agricultural area. Part of the aircraft struck an adjacent factory, which was engulfed in flames, though fortunately no injuries among civilians were reported. The fire situation has since improved, with strong ground and aerial firefighting forces continuing operations in the area.
