An official ceremony was held yesterday in Katakolo for the unveiling of a monument dedicated to the two fallen pilots, Commander (I) Efstathios Tsitlakidis and Vice Commander (I) Marios-Michael Touroutsikas. The two airmen tragically lost their lives on 30 January 2023, when their F-4 Phantom II aircraft crashed into the sea approximately 25 nautical miles south of Andravida Air Base.

The sculptural monument, located in the port of Katakolon, was commissioned by the “Ikaros” headquarters. The Municipality of Pyrgos, the Hellenic Air Force General Staff, and the 117th Combat Wing, in which the fallen served, have thus honoured the two aviators, ensuring their memory will endure forever.

The monument consists of two elements—the wing and the cylinder—symbolising the material and spiritual existence of Icarus.

The actual wing section, positioned at an angle, represents materiality and the fall. Meanwhile, the set of blade-wings, fixed on a cylindrical structure reminiscent of an aircraft fuselage, conveys the spiritual dimension of Icarus, ascending towards the sky.

Above the wing is an illuminated plexiglass surface, shaped similarly but punctuated with triangular holes to symbolise fragmentation. From the inclined cylinder, a powerful beam of light projects skyward, signifying the transition from the earthly to the divine. 

This light beam represents the unbreakable bond between those left behind and those they honour and remember. The monument’s pedestal is made of concrete, its solid and rugged forms evoking the harshness of both the earth and the stormy sea.

At night, the luminous column ensures the monument remains a visible landmark. On the front of the cylinder, two illuminated notches symbolically represent the fallen aviators, signifying their eternal presence in memory and their connection to the heavens.

On 30 January 2023, 31-year-old Efstathios Tsitlakidis took off from Andravida Air Base as the pilot of an F-4 Phantom, with his 29-year-old co-pilot, Lieutenant Marios-Michael Touroutsikas.

The two pilots were flying at an extremely low altitude over the sea as part of a training exercise in the wider Ilia region. The Phantom crashed into the water, and due to the low altitude, neither pilot had time to activate the aircraft’s ejection seat.

Both airmen were posthumously promoted to the honorary rank of Lieutenant General.

Also read: Hellenic Armed Forces | Three-day mourning for F-4E Phantom II crash