Reuters — Greece, Britain and Israel sent planes and helicopters to Cyprus on Monday to fight one of the largest forest fires to hit the island in years, and three firefighters were seriously injured when a water carrier overturned, authorities said. It was reported later that two of the firefighters, Marios Aristotelous, 44 and 49-year-old Andreas Sophocleous, died from their injuries while the third is still in a critical but stable condition.
A total of 16 aircraft, including four planes and helicopters from Greece and three fixed-wing aircraft from Israel, are helping fight the blaze – the most ever employed on a fire in Cyprus, according to Interior Minister Socrates Hasikos.
The blaze was mostly brought under control late on Monday, although three fronts were still burning. Water bombers from Greece and Israel and helicopters from the British military bases in Cyprus were assisting in the firefighting effort. “The situation is really tragic,” Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades told reporters from the area. “The damage is irreparable” adding that extra air assistance had been requested from Greece.
The blaze, possibly triggered by an attempt to burn dry stubble, broke out on Sunday in the foothills of the Troodos mountain region of the eastern Mediterranean island and has been fanned by high winds and scorching temperatures. Police say a 12-year-old boy is suspected of starting the fire with a lighter near his family’s holiday home.
The Soleas area hardest hit by the blaze is covered by pine forest and fruit orchards. The blaze coincided with the first major heatwave of the year, creating tinderbox conditions.
Mustafa Akinci, head of the breakaway Turkish Cypriot state in northern Cyprus, also offered assistance. Anastasiades said he had thanked Akinci but that authorities had enough assets at their disposal.
Cyprus was split along ethnic lines following a Turkish invasion in 1974 triggered by a brief Greek inspired coup.
