Air force pilot dies after plane crashes

The captain of a Hellenic Air Force training aircraft who died in a plane crash during a training flight on Tuesday has been named.

The body of 39-year-old Squadron Leader Nikolaos Vasileiou was found shortly after the incident by rescuers in the crashed plane. He was the father of two children.

In a statement, the Hellenic Air Force General Staff said the two-seater T-2 Buckeye was seven nautical miles north of Sparta at 8.50 a.m when the incident happened. The pilots were conducting a free-fall exercise at the time.

The co-pilot survived by parachuting to safety. He is reported in good health and has been taken a hospital in Kalamata.

Both men had 2,500 hours of flight experience, the Air Force said.

An investigation has been launched into the accident.