Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias met on Monday morning (23 July 2026) with Air Force pilot Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Georgios Chatzopoulos — commander of the 335th Squadron of the 115th Combat Wing — who safely executed an emergency landing of an F-16 fighter jet at Zakynthos Airport after the aircraft caught fire immediately following touchdown.
Recognition for Professionalism and Composure
Dendias commended Chatzopoulos during a formal reception at the Ministry of National Defense, attended by the Chiefs of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff (GEETHA), the Hellenic Air Force (GEA), and Tactical Air Command. He extended his warmest congratulations for the pilot’s exceptional professionalism, composure, and decisiveness under extreme pressure.
“I expressed my heartfelt congratulations to him for his outstanding professionalism, calmness, and determination in safely landing the #F16 he was flying — despite a serious technical malfunction — at Zakynthos Airport,” Dendias wrote in a social media post dated 13 July 2026.
A Symbol of Excellence in the Hellenic Air Force
The minister described Lieutenant Colonel Chatzopoulos as a prime example of the high level of training, operational readiness, and dedication that define Greek Air Force pilots. His actions, Dendias added, underscore the critical role of the human factor in Greece’s Armed Forces.