Zakynthos, Greece: A Hellenic Air Force F-16 fighter jet made an emergency belly landing at Zakynthos International Airport on Thursday after suffering a technical malfunction during a routine training mission, forcing the temporary closure of the airport’s only runway and disrupting flights at the height of Greece’s summer travel season. The pilot escaped without injury, while the aircraft caught fire after touching down, prompting an immediate response from airport firefighters and emergency personnel.
According to the Hellenic Air Force, the incident occurred at approximately 13:45 local time (10:45 GMT) when the F-16, assigned to 335 Squadron of the 116th Combat Wing based at Araxos Air Base in western Greece, experienced an unspecified technical fault while conducting a training flight over the Ionian region. The aircraft diverted to Zakynthos Airport and executed an emergency landing. Military officials confirmed that the pilot was “in good health” and that an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the malfunction.
Greek media reported that the pilot received a cockpit indication of an onboard fire before landing. The fighter reportedly landed without deploying its landing gear, forcing it to perform a belly landing and slide for dozens of metres along the runway before coming to a stop. Shortly after the aircraft stopped, flames engulfed portions of the jet, leading airport fire crews to rapidly blanket the aircraft with foam and water to extinguish the blaze.
Videos circulating widely on social media showed the F-16 engulfed in flames as firefighters worked to contain the fire. The pilot was seen exiting the aircraft safely before emergency responders intensified firefighting operations around the stricken jet.
The incident forced the closure of Zakynthos Airport’s single runway, bringing operations at one of Greece’s busiest seasonal tourist gateways to a standstill. Flight information displays showed numerous arrivals and departures delayed until at least 21:00 local time, including several services that had originally been scheduled to depart hours earlier. Airport authorities awaited the arrival of a specialist Hellenic Air Force recovery team to remove the damaged fighter from the runway before normal operations could resume.
The disruption came at the start of the peak summer holiday period, when Zakynthos popularly known as Zante welcomes thousands of international visitors every week, particularly from the United Kingdom and other European countries. With only one operational runway, even a single aircraft incident can significantly affect airport capacity and flight schedules.
The Hellenic Air Force has not released additional technical details regarding the aircraft or the nature of the malfunction. Investigators are expected to examine the aircraft, maintenance records and flight data as part of the official inquiry into the emergency landing.
