Athens News Agency: News in English, 10-08-29
CONTENTS
[01] Second pilot in Thursday's F-16 collision dies
[01] Second pilot in Thursday's F-16 collision dies
(ANA-MPA) -- A second pilot injured in Thursday's mid-air collision of
two F-16s south of Crete died in the early morning hours of Sunday.
Flight Lt. Sifis Anastasakis, 36, died at the Irakleio hospital's ICU
after sustaining life-threatening injuries in the collision, which left
another pilot dead. A third pilot sustained milder injuries and is
recuperating.
Condolences, meanwhile, poured in on Sunday from the country's
political leadership, including President of the Republic Karolos
Papoulias, Prime Minister George Papandreou, DM Evangelos Venizelos and
others.
"It was with great sadness that I was informed of the death of Lt.
Iosif Anastasakis. Let his dedication to duty and heroism live forever
inscribed in our memory, with a wish that we will not need to again
mourn for our pilot officers," a statement by Papoulias read.
Meanwhile, a funeral for the other fatally injured pilot took place on
Sunday in the NW city of Arta. Flight Lt. Anastasios Balatsoukas, 33,
was laid to rest in his home town. Alternate DM Panos Beglitis
represented the government.
A period of mourning in the armed forces was extended by two days.
|