A Hellenic Air Force F-16 fighter jet was forced to make an emergency crash-landing at Zakynthos airport on Thursday, resulting in the closure of one of Greece’s busiest summer travel hubs. The aircraft, which belonged to the 335 Squadron of the 116th Combat Wing based at Araxos Air Base in western Greece, was conducting a training flight when it encountered a technical issue.
According to the Hellenic Air Force, the incident occurred at approximately 13:45 local time (10:45 GMT). Officials confirmed that the pilot survived the ordeal and is in good health, while an investigation into the specific cause of the technical failure is currently underway. Greek media reports suggested that the pilot received an indication of an onboard fire before the landing, and the aircraft subsequently caught fire on the runway, requiring immediate intervention from airport firefighters and emergency personnel.
Witnesses and social media footage captured the jet ablaze on the runway as crews worked to douse the flames. Reports from the Greek newspaper Kathimerini indicated that the fighter jet landed without deploying its landing gear, causing it to skid along the runway for dozens of meters. The Hellenic Air Force has not officially commented on the details regarding the landing gear.
The emergency landing has caused significant disruptions to air travel during the peak summer holiday season, a time when the Ionian island typically receives thousands of tourists each week, many arriving from the UK. Following the incident, the airport’s runway was closed, and arrival and departure boards showed that all remaining flights for Thursday were delayed until at least 21:00. A specialist air force team is expected to arrive at the airport to clear the wreckage, which will allow normal airport operations to resume. While this incident resulted in no casualties, aviation safety remains a concern, especially following a separate fighter jet crash in Spain that kills 10.
The runway was closed following the incident, causing delays. The airport's arrivals and departure boards show information about all of Thursday's remaining flights delayed until 21:00 – including those scheduled to leave hours earlier.
