Helios Airways Flight 522, Aviation accident in Greece
Helios Airways Flight 522 was a passenger flight carrying 121 people departing from Larnaca, Cyprus, bound for Prague with a stop in Athens. The aircraft was a Boeing 737-300 built in 1998 that lost radio contact with air traffic control shortly after takeoff.
The aircraft departed on August 14, 2005, from Larnaca and was later intercepted by Greek fighter jets, which discovered the cockpit crew was unconscious. The plane flew on autopilot for more than an hour over Athens before crashing near Grammatiko after both engines ran out of fuel.
The accident triggered widespread media coverage and discussion about aviation safety.
The crash site is located in a rural area near Grammatiko, Greece, and is not easily accessible. A memorial has been erected to honor those who died and serves as a place of remembrance for families and visitors.
A conscious flight attendant attempted to control the aircraft using a portable oxygen supply after a pilot with portable oxygen reached the cockpit. This was a unique moment when a crew member without extensive training tried to manage a life-threatening situation.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
