New footage aired by Mega shows the dramatic moment a Hellenic Air Force F-16 fighter jet made an emergency landing at Zakynthos International Airport on Thursday, 9 July 2026, after a fire warning mid-flight.
Emergency Landing Due to Landing Gear Failure
The aircraft had taken off from the 116th Combat Wing base at Araxos and was participating in a training exercise over the Ionian Sea when it developed a fault. The pilot received immediate instructions to dump fuel and divert to the nearest suitable airfield — Zakynthos Airport, located directly across from Araxos.
According to initial reports, the F-16 — assigned to the 335th Squadron of the 116th Combat Wing — failed to deploy its landing gear. As a precaution, fire crews pre-deployed firefighting foam along the runway. Despite this, the jet skidded onto the runway belly-first and ignited upon contact with the ground, likely due to fuel leakage detected earlier by the pilot, who then shut down the engine before touchdown.
Pilot Safe, Aircraft Recoverable
The pilot successfully evacuated the aircraft just before flames engulfed it and is reported to be unharmed. Firefighters responded immediately to extinguish the blaze. Greek Air Force sources confirm the aircraft is repairable.
Zakynthos Airport remains closed pending full removal of the aircraft. The General Staff of the Hellenic Air Force (GEA) issued an official statement confirming the incident occurred at 13:45 local time and that the pilot is in good health. The cause is under investigation.