Pilot Recalls ‘Ghost Plane’ Crash of Helios Airways Flight 522, Killing 115
On August 14, 2005, Helios Airways Flight 522, en route from Cyprus to Prague, tragically crashed near Athens, killing all 115 passengers and six crew members. The disaster became infamous due to its eerie circumstances. After takeoff, the Boeing 737 went silent, and air traffic control lost contact. Greek authorities sent two F-16 jets to investigate.
Captain Grammatiko, one of the pilots, witnessed a haunting scene as he approached the plane: the co-pilot was slumped over the controls, and flight attendant Andreas Prodromou was attempting to take control. Unfortunately, Prodromou lacked pilot training, and his efforts couldn’t avert the crash.
It was later determined that oxygen deprivation had rendered the passengers and crew unconscious, leaving the plane to fly on autopilot until it ran out of fuel. The plane crashed into a mountain near Athens, marking one of aviation’s most chilling “ghost flight” incidents.
