Air safety in Cyprus’ airspace remains particularly high, the Department of Civil Aviation said in a statement responding to reports about unauthorised aircraft and Turkish Air Force aircraft operating within the Nicosia FIR.
The department said the presence and activity of Turkish aircraft in the area controlled by the Republic of Cyprus is a longstanding and recurring operational reality that air traffic control manages on an almost daily basis.
“It is therefore not an unprecedented or unpredictable operational phenomenon,” the department said.
It stressed the importance of distinguishing between the existence of a recurring operational issue and the actual level of air safety.
Continuous monitoring required
The Department of Civil Aviation said the problems caused by Turkey in Cyprus’ airspace are well known and require continuous management and increased vigilance to maintain flight safety.
These include the operation of the airport in Tymbou and interference with flights, as well as the activity of military aircraft.
The department said the timely identification and effective management of such situations by air traffic control staff demonstrates the effectiveness of the system.
Incident was identified in time
Regarding the specific incident referred to in media reports, the department said continuous monitoring and the operational vigilance of its personnel allowed the potential convergence of flight paths to be identified in time.
The necessary measures were then taken, it said.
“Safety remains the absolute priority” of the competent authorities, the department stressed, adding that operational personnel have the training, experience and procedures required to safely manage even particularly demanding situations.
Also read: Turkish military aircrafts and UAVs near key routes and airports
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