Today the family, friends and the whole of Greece says the final farewell to the pilot of the F-4E Phantom II, Efstathios Tsitlakidis, that crashed on Monday, in a tragic epilogue of a terrible week for the Hellenic Air Force (HAF) and for Greece.

The family decided to hand out wedding favors and white roses at the funeral, as the 31-year-old pilot had planned to marry his partner, Maria, having become engaged to her last October.

The companion of the deceased pilot came to the church with a photograph of him in her hands.

In the cemetery, after the end of the ceremony, the national anthem will be sung and the mother will be given the flag, the sword and Stathis’ military hat.

The Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, the PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis are present at the funeral.

The military leadership is present to the funeral.