Air Force Major Nikolaos Vasileiou, the co-pilot of a T-2 trainer aircraft, was found dead after his aircraft crashed, seven nautical miles north of Sparta, this morning.

The pilot of the aircraft was found earlier in a search-and-rescue mission.

The aircraft took off from Kalamata and crashed near the Arcadian village of Kollines, at the border of the prefectures of Arcadia and Laconia.

Initial reports indicated that both ejection seats of the aircraft had been activated.

The two pilots had extensive flying experience, with an aggregate of 2,500 flying hours.

The Hellenic Air Force General Staff has appointed an expert committee to probe the accident.

Air Force warplanes and fire trucks hastened to the area immediately after the crash to help in the search-and-rescue mission.

It should be noted that in January, 2018, another T-2 trainer aircraft crashed near Kalamata. In that accident, both pilots survived.