The funeral of 29-year-old Lieutenant Marios Touroutsikas was held on Thursday in the Greek city of Tripoli.
Lt. Touroutsikas was one of two pilots aboard the two-seater F-4E Phantom II fighter jet that crashed in the Ionian Sea on Monday. His co-pilot Major Stathis Tsitlakidis’ funeral will be held on Friday.
The 29-year-old’s funeral service was held at the Profitis Ilias Church while he was laid to rest at the Agios Ioannis Pikerniou cemetery later that day.
The coffin was draped with the Greek flag and an Air Force contingent was outside the church. After the service, attendants shouted “Immortal!” as the coffin was transferred for burial to the cemetery.
The service was attended by Greece’s President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the head of the main opposition Alexis Tsipras, as well as the leadership of the Armed Forces.
After the burial was completed, an Air Force salute fired shots into the air followed by the playing of the National Anthem.
Sakellaropoulou laid a wreath at the grave, while the head of the General Assembly handed over the sword and the flag.
