A Ukrainian An-12 cargo plane reportedly crashed in northern Greece late on Saturday night. The plane was understood to be carrying ammunition from Serbia to Bangladesh.
The crash resulted in the deaths of all eight crew members on board, according to both Serbian and Greek authorities, on Sunday morning.
Witnesses described seeing a ball of flames falling from the sky close to the Greek city of Kavala. The plane eventually crashed in a corn field at around midnight, causing an explosion. The shocking scene was captured on video, showing the ball of flames falling from the sky before landing and creating a large, glowing explosion that came in at least two blasts.
Additional photographs of the crashed plane were also shared online, showing the plane on the ground and in flames, and later the burned-out remains of the plane.
Speaking to the Associated Press, Paggaio Mayor Filippos Anastassiadis described how the explosions continued for a long time, no doubt a result of the ammunition on board the plane.
“We were hearing explosions until a few minutes ago,” the mayor said. “I am about 300 meters from the site of the crash.”
An official from the mayor’s office also told local media that explosions could be heard going on for at least two hours after the crash.
Why Did It Crash?
The crash occurred after the pilot contacted the authorities and requested a crash landing. Authorities instructed the pilot to land the plane, which had problems with one of its engines, at either Kavala or Thessaloniki airport. The pilot reportedly chose Kavala, but soon lost communication and then crashed roughly 25 miles to the west of the airport.
????Footage of Ukrainian An-12 cargo plane crash in #Greece: According to unconfirmed reports, the plane was carrying ammunition #UkraineRussianWar #Ukraine #UkraineWar pic.twitter.com/JfAluqZnfK
— Owari no Ōutsuke (@owarino_outsuke) July 17, 2022
According to Greek Media, a team of local police officers and fire service workers told the inhabitants of the two closest towns and villages not to leave their homes and to wear masks as a result of a strong smell coming from the crash site. Authorities say that they do not know if there are any dangerous chemicals in the air, but suspect that the fire may have burned batteries on board the plane and could pose a risk to local people.
Greece:Kavala:Ukraine Cargo Plane Crash:16 July:
shortly after take off in Serbia with 11 tons of weapons on board including mortar shells and land mines, allegedly destined for Bangladesh. The area has been closed off as Authorities search for nuclear/chemical substances.
E??F: pic.twitter.com/TGmyrfTelp— Residents Corner (@ResidentsCorner) July 17, 2022
Local fire service officials cordoned off the crash site at a distance of around 400 meters, which was expanded further at dawn.
The crash will now be investigated by the relevant authorities, including Greece’s Atomic Energy Commission.
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society.
