A Greek Air Force pilot died Monday when his F16 fighter-jet crashed into the Pagasitikos gulf near central Greece Monday.
Lieutenant Constantinos Kakkavas, 30, was flying the plane alone on a training mission when it fell into the waters of the Nea Aghialos region near Volos in central Greece at 11:45 am (0945 GMT). Kakkavas did not have time to use his ejector seat.
The cause of the accident was not immediately known but an investigation was underway, officials said.
Authorities said they believe Kakkavas, who had clocked up 550 hours of flying time, may have lost consciousness or lost his sense of direction during a maneuver that may have made him confuse the sea for the sky.
The plane took off from Nea Aghialos Air Force base.
The last Greek F16 accident occurred in September 1997 when a pilot was killed during a training mission when his plane crashed in the Aghios Eustratios region in the northern region of the Aegean Sea – ATHENS (AFP)
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