A Hellenic Air Force F-16 fighter jet made an emergency landing at Zakynthos International Airport on Thursday after suffering a technical malfunction, forcing the closure of the airport's only runway and disrupting flights at one of Greece's busiest tourist destinations.
The aircraft, assigned to the 335 Squadron of the 116th Combat Wing based at Araxos Air Base, was conducting a training mission when the incident occurred at about 13:45 local time.
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The Hellenic Air Force said the pilot landed safely and was not injured. An investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the malfunction.
Greek media reported that the pilot received an onboard fire warning before landing. The aircraft reportedly touched down without extending its landing gear, slid along the runway and caught fire after coming to a stop. The Air Force has not confirmed those details.
Videos circulating on social media showed firefighters extinguishing flames around the aircraft shortly after the landing.
The accident prompted authorities to close runway 16/34, the airport's only runway. A Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) restricted operations to government, military and emergency medical helicopter flights until the aircraft can be removed.
Flight schedules at Zakynthos showed delays affecting arrivals and departures throughout the day, with several services postponed into the evening.
Zakynthos is one of Greece's busiest seasonal airports, handling large numbers of charter and scheduled flights during the summer, particularly from the United Kingdom and other European countries. The runway closure came at the start of the island's peak tourist season.
Specialized Air Force personnel were expected to travel to Zakynthos to recover the damaged fighter and allow normal airport operations to resume.
