Athens: Greek fighter jets forced a Turkish drone to withdraw from Athens airspace after it was intercepted near Alexandroupoli Airport, narrowly avoiding a collision with a passenger plane.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, Greek F-16 fighter jets, which were on high alert, scrambled to intercept the Turkish drone. Within minutes, the jets were able to approach, identify, and force the drone to exit the area. The incident occurred near the island of Samothrace, raising significant concerns due to the proximity of the drone to the airport’s runway as a passenger plane was preparing for takeoff.

The civilian aircraft was immediately diverted to another runway to ensure safety and flew at a low altitude until the danger was averted. After the situation was under control, the passenger plane resumed its journey to Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos.