Greece’s Defense Minister, Nikos Dendias, met on Monday with the Air Force pilot who successfully carried out an emergency landing of an F-16 fighter jet after it suffered a mechanical failure last week.
The meeting took place at the Ministry of National Defense and was attended by the chiefs of Greece’s military leadership. During the meeting, Dendias congratulated Lieutenant Colonel Georgios Chatzopoulos, commander of the 335 Squadron, for what he described as his exceptional professionalism, composure and determination.
The emergency occurred on Friday, July 10, when the F-16 developed a serious mechanical problem while in flight. According to the Greek Air Force, the pilot first jettisoned fuel to reduce the risk to the surrounding area before performing a successful belly landing at Zakynthos Airport.
Shortly after touching down, the aircraft caught fire. The pilot was safely evacuated but, rather than leaving the scene, remained nearby to assist by giving instructions during the firefighting operation, according to video released after the incident.
Air Force sources said the pilot’s response was exemplary, noting that he followed all emergency protocols successfully. They described his actions as a demonstration of the high level of training and operational readiness of Greece’s armed forces.
In a statement following the meeting, Dendias reiterated his congratulations, saying Chatzopoulos’ actions reflected the professionalism, preparedness and dedication of Greek military pilots, while highlighting the importance of the human factor in the country’s armed forces.
Υποδέχθηκα σήμερα στο Υπουργείο Εθνικής Άμυνας τον Διοικητή της 335 Μοίρας της 116 Πτέρυγας Μάχης, Αντισμήναρχο (Ι) Γεώργιο Χατζόπουλο, παρουσία των Αρχηγών ΓΕΕΘΑ, ΓΕΑ και Τακτικής Αεροπορίας.
Του εξέφρασα τα θερμά μου συγχαρητήρια για τον εξαιρετικό επαγγελματισμό, την… pic.twitter.com/nS1r9K1r4v
— Nikos Dendias (@NikosDendias) July 13, 2026
