A cargo plane carrying more than 11,000 kilograms of ammunition crashed near the Greek city of Kavala on Saturday evening. All eight crew members were killed. Serbian Defense Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic announced this on Sunday during a press conference, which is reported by international news agencies. According to the Ukrainian authorities, all occupants had Ukrainian nationality.
The plane, operated by Ukrainian freight carrier Meridian, departed from the Serbian city of Nis on Saturday evening and was en route for a stopover in Amman, Jordan. The aircraft’s final destination was Bangladesh. According to the Serbian defense minister, the cargo including mortar shells had been bought by the Bengali Ministry of Defence.
At around 11 p.m., the pilot alerted Greek air traffic control to a problem with one of the engines. According to him, an emergency landing was inevitable, after which he was given permission to land at Kavala airport. Shortly afterwards, the signal was lost and the plane crashed in a rural area near Kavala.
Hazardous chemicals
Images show that a lawn is strewn with debris. The AP news agency spoke to residents who said they saw “a fireball” and heard explosions two hours after the crash. Firefighters rushing to the scene were initially bothered by the smoke and “an intense odor” they feared was poisonous.
Rescuers have now reached the wreckage. A special army unit will investigate the area on Sunday afternoon for possible explosion and the presence of nuclear or chemical substances. Local residents have been urged to close the windows and wear masks because it is not yet clear whether dangerous chemicals were released during the crash.