Greek air force jet crashes at annual aerial show, starts fire

ATHENS, Greece - A Greek air force jet met with a tragic crash during an aerial show north of Athens on Saturday, igniting a large fire that sent towering plumes of black smoke billowing into the sky. The incident occurred while the twin-seat Phantom F4 jet was executing a low-altitude maneuver, causing no injuries among the thousands of spectators in attendance.

Greek air force officials have not yet provided any updates on the condition of the two individuals aboard the jet, emphasizing that rescue efforts were complicated by the ongoing blaze at the Tanagra air force base, located approximately 40 miles north of the capital city. In their attempt to extinguish the fire, 85 firefighters were joined by 11 water-dropping aircraft, but the flames remained a considerable distance away from the viewing area at the Athens Flying Week, which is an annual event showcasing aviation displays.