The Search and Rescue Exercise (SAR) “TEFKROS 01/2022”, which took place in an area near the Larnaka International Airport, deals with an air accident in the salt-lake, for which the activation of the Special National Plan “TEFKROS” was required.
The scenario specifically involved a civilian passenger aircraft, which during landing at Larnaca Airport, experienced a failure of the landing system hydraulics, resulting in the pilot performing an emergency landing and the aircraft skidding off the landing strip, ending up in the salt-lake outside the airport.
In order to deal with the incident, the Larnaka Search and Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) activated all the services involved in accordance with the provisions of SAR Plan “TEFKROS”. In detail, forces of the Police, the Fire Service and in particular the Larnaka Airport Fire Station and the Larnaka Fire Brigade, the General Staff of National Guard with search teams of the Underwater Demolition Team of the Navy Command and the Special Operations Unit of the National Guard participated in the exercise, means and personnel of the Larnaka Airport management company Hermes Airports, the Civil Aviation Services of Larnaka Airport, search teams of the Civil Defence Larnaka Department and the Forestry Department, personnel of the Larnaka Airport Lifeguard Team, as well as the Coastal Surveillance System and unmanned aerial vehicle operation team of the JRCC.
The main purpose of the exercise was to train the personnel involved to familiarize with the special environment of the salt lakes, as well as to test the specialized equipment for responding to incidents within them.
The operational control and coordination was carried out by the Larnaka JRCC, while the entire preparation and planning of the exercise was carried out in cooperation with all governmental and private bodies involved.
(PIO)
