20 years since the Helios Airways crash that devastated two nations
Today marks two decades since the Helios Airways crash that killed 121 people and sent shockwaves through Cyprus and Greece. On the morning of 14 August 2005, Flight 522, a Boeing 737-300 travelling from Larnaca to Prague via Athens, crashed into a hillside near the village of Grammatiko in Attica.
All 115 passengers and six crew members lost their lives in what became one of Europe’s most tragic aviation disasters. The victims included 22 children and 12 Greek nationals.
What happened on board
The flight took off from Larnaca early that morning and entered Greek airspace at 10:15am. However, air traffic control received no response from the cockpit. At 11:05am, two Greek F-16 fighter jets were deployed and caught up with the aircraft shortly after.
The fighter pilots reported a chilling sight: the co-pilot appeared unconscious, the pilot was missing from his seat, and oxygen masks had been deployed throughout the cabin.
By this point, all passengers and crew were incapacitated, likely due to hypoxia—a lack of oxygen—caused by a misconfigured pressurisation system. Flight attendant Andreas Prodromou, the only person still conscious, attempted to take control of the plane but was unsuccessful. Just before 12:04pm, the engines failed from fuel exhaustion, and the aircraft crashed into the mountainside.
The aftermath in Cyprus and Greece
News of the Helios Airways crash brought deep sorrow across both countries. In Cyprus, devastated relatives gathered at Larnaca Airport, clinging to hope and bracing for the worst. Television channels provided wall-to-wall coverage as the nation watched the story unfold in real time.
Scenes of grief at the airport were described as resembling a Greek tragedy. The pain of losing entire families—some of them with young children—was beyond words.
Investigation reveals deadly mistakes
An official investigation was carried out by Greece’s Air Accident Investigation Board, led by aviation expert Akrivos Tsolakis. The report, released in 2006, identified a series of human and technical errors.
The key issue was the aircraft’s pressurisation switch, which had been left in “manual” mode during pre-flight checks. As a result, the cabin never properly pressurised, leading to oxygen deprivation for everyone on board.
The investigators found fault with both the maintenance team, who failed to reset the switch, and the flight crew, who did not act on several warnings. Compounding the problem, Boeing’s instruction manual for this aircraft model lacked clear guidance on how the system worked.
Training procedures were also criticised. The report noted that crew members were not adequately prepared to respond to emergency scenarios involving oxygen loss or cabin pressurisation issues.
Ultimately, the crash was attributed to the crew becoming incapacitated due to hypoxia, followed by engine failure once the fuel ran out.
Legal outcomes in Cyprus and Greece
In 2009, five Helios executives faced charges in Cyprus for manslaughter and causing death by negligence. However, in 2013, the Nicosia Assize Court acquitted all of them, citing insufficient evidence and procedural issues.
Meanwhile, Greek courts reached a different conclusion. Four senior figures at Helios—Dimitris Pantazis, Giorgos Kikkidis, Ianko Stoimenov, and Alan Irwin—were found guilty of manslaughter by negligence. They were sentenced to a combined total of 124 years in prison, later reduced to ten years each, with the option to pay a fine to avoid imprisonment.
A lasting trauma for the investigator
Akrivos Tsolakis, the man who led the investigation, described the crash as the most painful experience of his life. Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency in 2020, he recalled arriving at the crash site in Grammatiko and seeing the wreckage scattered across the valley.
“It was as if the souls of the victims were still hovering above us,” he said, recalling how he and his team removed their hats and recited a prayer at the scene.
Tsolakis passed away in 2023 at the age of 93. In his final years, he said the tragedy had robbed him of sleep, and he would carry the memory of it with him to the end of his life.
Global impact on aviation safety
The crash prompted immediate changes in aviation safety. Tsolakis’ report included 16 official recommendations, five of which were adopted internationally.
These included updates to aircraft design and changes in how crew members are trained to handle emergencies involving cabin pressure and oxygen systems.
According to Tsolakis, these improvements made it highly unlikely that a similar accident could ever happen again.
Commemorating the victims
This past Sunday, 10 August, memorial services were held across Cyprus, including at the Metropolitan Church of Saint George in Paralimni, which lost 16 residents in the crash. The night before, 121 candles were lit in Paralimni Square—one for each life lost.
Each year, relatives and friends gather at a small chapel built on the crash site in Grammatiko, dedicated to the Dormition of the Virgin Mary. The chapel stands as a permanent tribute to the memory of the victims.
A tragedy that changed aviation
The Helios Airways crash left a permanent scar on the Cypriot and Greek nations. But it also served as a wake-up call for the aviation industry. From improved manuals and clearer safety protocols to better crew training, the legacy of Flight 522 continues to influence how airlines and regulators approach flight safety.
Today, two decades on, the pain remains for the families. But their loved ones are remembered not only in memorials and services—but also in safer skies around the world.
Source: CNA
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