An An-12 cargo aircraft crashed on Saturday evening, July 16, west of Kavala in eastern Greece. Preliminary information indicates eight crew members were aboard.
The search and rescue operation continues as reported by ERT. The last radar contact showed the aircraft ten nautical miles west of Kavala. The pilot noted engine number four had failed and requested an emergency landing at Kavala airport. The An-12 executed a 180 degree turn over the Athos peninsula, then descended with one engine burning and began to lose altitude.
Authorities believe the crash occurred after the aircraft struck a power line during the final approach, causing a widespread power outage in the area. The wreckage was later located near Paleochori, in the Pangeo municipality, about forty kilometers from Kavala airport. Eyewitnesses described the plane hitting a cornfield followed by explosions.
What was the falling aircraft carrying
The An-12 was reportedly on a commercial flight from Serbia to Jordan, with Greek media citing flight MEM3032 operated by Meridian Air Cargo. One version suggests the plane belonged to a Ukrainian company and might have carried up to twelve tons of ammunition, a claim raised by a representative of the Greek Civil Protection Service.
Firefighters formed a perimeter around the crash site as flames diminished. The military dispatched a specialized unit to assess whether the fire could be extinguished and to decide if the area should be approached. Officials cautioned that the cargo type had not yet been confirmed by Serbia’s civil aviation authorities or other available services.
A drone was deployed to the crash site to check for survivors. Journalists on the scene reported that protective masks were required due to a noticeable odor near the fire. Firefighters and reporters were moved one kilometer from the wreckage at the fire department’s request because the toxicity of the cargo was unknown. Experts will determine the next steps for locating the aircraft’s flight data recorder, commonly known as the black box.
Two firefighters suffered respiratory distress from heavy smoke and were transported to a hospital in Kavala. Nearby residents were evacuated to a safe distance as a precaution. Explosions at the site persisted for about two hours before subsiding. Authorities fear toxic gases could be released from the wreckage.
Residents were advised to keep doors and windows closed and to avoid using air conditioners. Local authorities also prepared for a potential broader evacuation affecting roughly one thousand to twelve hundred people if conditions worsen.
Serbian media also report the ammunition transport theory. They cite that the aircraft belonged to a private American company operating in Ukraine, with a previous itinerary from Ukraine to Serbia and a stop in Turkey. Serbian authorities have yet to issue an official statement about this transport. Witnesses near Niš Airport described the takeoff as somewhat rough the previous night.
Military analyst Phaedon Karaiosifidis told ERT that the aircraft began service in 1971 as part of a Soviet transport regiment. In recent years it was classified as a military asset under control of Aeroflot and a number of other owners. He noted that the plane had been in use by a Ukrainian company for the past ten months and emphasized that Serbia produces and exports ammunition to several regions in the Middle East.