Nicosia: The level of aviation safety in the Cyprus airspace remains particularly high, the Department of Civil Aviation says in a statement issued on Thursday in response to reports in the daily press about the presence of unauthorized aircraft and Turkish Air Force aircraft in Cypriot airspace.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the Department of Civil Aviation emphasized that the presence and activity of Turkish aircraft in the control area of the Republic of Cyprus (Nicosia FIR) is a long-standing and recurring operational fact. The department notes that air traffic control is tasked with managing this almost daily, and it is not an unprecedented or unforeseen operational phenomenon.
The Department highlighted the importance of distinguishing between the recurring operational phenomenon and the actual aviation safety situation. The problems caused by Turkey in Cypriot airspace, including the illegal operation of Tymbou airport in the Turkish-occupied areas of Cyprus and interference with flights, are known and are being continuously managed. This requires increased vigilance to maintain the level of flight safety.
The Department of Civil Aviation praised the timely recognition and effective management of such situations by personnel, indicating the effectiveness of the air traffic control system. Regarding the incident reported in the press, the Department stressed that continuous surveillance and operational vigilance by the personnel allowed for the timely recognition of the possible convergence of paths, facilitating the necessary measures to be taken.
The press release concluded that safety remains the absolute priority of the competent services. It assured that the operational personnel have the training, experience, and procedures required for the safe management of particularly demanding situations.