An incident involving the detachment of an empty rocket pod from a National Guard helicopter in the Paphos district is under investigation, the Defence Ministry confirmed on Tuesday.
According to Defence Ministry spokesperson Christos Pieris, the pod fell around midday on Tuesday outside the Peyia area, in a non-residential zone. He clarified that the pod was empty and did not contain ammunition.
Pieris explained that the device became detached from the helicopter’s fuselage while it was carrying out a training flight.
“It is a pod used to carry various types of ammunition and rockets, mounted on the side of the aircraft,” he said.
Defence Ministry statement
In an official announcement, the Ministry of Defence stated that at around 13:00, during a training flight by National Guard helicopters in the Paphos district, and under circumstances currently being investigated, a rocket carrier detached and fell to the ground.
No injuries were reported as a result of the incident.
The National Guard has launched an inquiry to determine the causes and conditions under which the incident occurred.
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