The crash of the F-16 single-seat fighter jet Block 52+ in the marine area at Psathurahad a happy ending with the pilot in good health.
The 29-year-old Air Force Chief of Staff immediately following he was located following the fall of the F-16 in Psathura, he went by helicopter to Saketa camp and then he was picked up by an ambulance and taken to the 251 General Aviation Hospital, where he underwent all the necessary tests
There, the doctors found that the pilot is in good health, he does not have any injuries, but he will remain in the hospital tonight for precautionary reasons.
According to information from OnAlert, he is in a very good psychological condition and has his family, his parents and his wife by his side.
The pilot of the F-16 had a phone call with the Minister of National Defense Nikos Dendias, as well as with the Chiefs of GEETHA and GEA, who wished him a speedy recovery. In fact, the information was given during the official reception of the new Navy helicopters and in the presence of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
Minute by minute the rescue operation
The fall of the F-16 “froze” the Air Staff and the rest of the fighter pilots who participated in the training flight and were eyewitnesses to the incident.
The fighter crashed at 13.29 in the followingnoon and the pilot made timely use of the ejection seat, opened the parachute and fell into the sea. Immediately, the remaining fighters of the formation gave the coordinates of the point where the F-16 fell to the National Air Operations Center, in Larissa.
The EKAE immediately began to coordinate the operation and within five minutes contacted the 130th Combat Command of Lemnos. From there, following regarding 15 minutes, the Super Puma helicopter took off, i.e. at regarding 13.50. The helicopter took regarding 15 minutes to reach the area of Psathoura.
Upon reaching the area, the Super Puma had difficulty locating the pilot as there was heavy sea swell and his dinghy had drifted further away from the coordinates the pilots had given. Although they witnessed the fall, the pilots of the other fighters of the formation did not manage to keep visual contact with the 29-year-old lieutenant for a long time.
Finally, the Super Puma managed to locate him 50 minutes later, around 3pm. As the General Aviation Staff announced, the rescue of the pilot took place on 15.02.
A Super Puma helicopter from the 130th Battle Group, a Navy S-70 helicopter, a CL-415 aircraft from the 113th Fighter Wing participated in the search and rescue operation, while the frigate ” Aegean”, while a C-130 type aircraft had also been put on maximum alert.
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