Greek air force confirms identity of dead pilot

The Greek fighter jet pilot who was killed on Thursday when his plane crashed into the central Aegean, was identified by the Hellenic Air Force as Captain Giorgos Baltadoros.

The 34-year-old was flying a single-seated Mirage 2000-5 and preparing to land at the military airport in Skyros when his jet crashed into the sea, some nine miles northeast off the coast of the island, it said in a press release. No information was provided as to the possible cause of the crash.

Baltadoros was serving at the 331 Air Force Squadron in Tanagra.

Greek defense sources said earlier that the Mirage had been one of Greek two jets on a mission to intercept Turkish jets in the Aegean earlier in the day. The same sources said they did not believe any hostile activity was involved.

Greek Defense Minister Panos Kammenos tweeted a tribute to a "hero...who fell in the fight...