Plane that crashed in Kavala was carrying 12 tons of military cargo

The crash of the Antonov plane in the Paleochori Kavala area: it was heading to Jordan and carrying 12 tons of “dangerous cargo”. Firefighters and sappers are on the scene, residents are asked to stay away and keep windows closed.

At 11:40 p.m. last night, local residents reported that explosions were continuing at the crash site and rescuers were unable to reach the scene. The wreckage of the aircraft is strewn across the fields. The fire coordinator noted: “We felt a burning sensation on the lips and tongue.”

On board the plane was a crew of eight people. Their fate is currently unknown. The accident site was surveyed by drones for the presence of explosive and flammable objects. Measurement of radioactivity did not reveal alarming indicators. At a distance of 50 m from the crash site of the transport aircraft, firefighters found white dust. The area is cordoned off at a distance of 500 meters.

It is reported that the plane took off from the Serbian city of Nis and was heading to Jordan. The fourth engine failed in flight, and it caught fire. The pilot reported the problem to the Athens FIR, who asked if he could land in Kavala or Thessaloniki. The pilot replied that the engine fire was a big problem and said he would try to land at Kavala.

While flying near Mount Athos, the plane made a 180-degree turn and began to lose altitude, being a short distance from the houses, according to documentary footage. According to eyewitnesses, the plane crashed into a corn field and exploded.

It is assumed, as reported kavalanews.gr, that during the crash, the aircraft hit a power pole or power lines, which led to an explosion and a general power outage in Nikisiani, Gruziani, Agios Christoforos, Paleochori and Antiphilipou. At 23:40, local residents reported that the explosions were continuing, writes cnn.gr.

AP Photo/Yannis Papanikos.