A Greek Air Force F-16 fighter jet caught fire after making an emergency landing during a training flight on Thursday following a technical malfunction.

The Hellenic Air Force said the incident occurred at around 1:45 p.m. local time when the aircraft experienced a technical problem during a routine training mission.

The pilot safely landed the aircraft at Zakynthos Airport on the Ionian island of Zakynthos and was reported to be in good health.

Greek public broadcaster ERT reported that the pilot decided to make an emergency landing after a fire broke out aboard the aircraft.

Initial reports indicated the malfunction may have involved the aircraft's landing gear, forcing the pilot to perform a gear-up emergency landing.

Firefighters quickly brought the blaze under control after the aircraft came to a stop on the runway.

The F-16 belongs to the 335th Squadron of the 116th Combat Wing and had taken off from Araxos Air Base for the training mission.

Greek authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the incident, while airport operations experienced temporary disruptions during the emergency response. (ILKHA)