Greek Deputy Prime Minister Stylianos Pattakos escaped injury yesterday (Saturday) when his military aircraft crash-landed and burst into flames at Preveza airport, Northwestern Greece. A cameraman at the airport raced across to the scene of the crash to film this exclusive coverage of Mr. Pattakos, Commerce Minister Spyridon Zappas and other cabinet members watching the aircraft burn. Later, they toured the wreckage.

SYNOPSIS: A lucky escape for Greek Government ministers when their military aircraft crash-landed and burst into flames at Preveza, Northwestern Greece, on Saturday.

Deputy Prime Minister Stylianos Pattakos watched the wreckage burning after his escape. As the twin-engined Dakota came in to lane one of its tyres burst. The aircraft swerved across the runway, keeled over and caught fire.

Commerce Minister Spyridon Zappas, Education Under-Secretary Spyridon Demetrakos and other members of the cabinet also escaped unhurt from the wreckage. But the Brazilian Ambassador, Senor Helio de Burgos Cabal, who was travelling as a guest of the Deputy Prime Minister, was slightly injured. So was an interpreter and the aircraft's pilot.

The Ministers had flown to Preveza to attend celebrations of the hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the Greek War of Independence. They continued their tour by car as an investigation opened at the airport into the cause of the crash.