Tenth anniversary of the Solea forest fire tragedy

On June 19, 2016, a major forest fire in the Solea region of Cyprus resulted in the deaths of firefighters Andreas Sofokleous and Marios Aristotelous. Ten years later, the sole survivor of the accident, Giorgos Sabtanis, recounted the incident in a recent interview. He explained that the crew was returning to the fire front after refilling their water tank when their vehicle fell into a ravine. According to Sabtanis, the ground gave way, causing the truck to plummet in seconds. Despite his own injuries and shock, Sabtanis managed to call for assistance, which arrived within minutes. He noted that the environment was chaotic, with dense smoke hindering visibility during the operation. This incident remains a significant event for the fire service and those involved. The remembrance ceremony marks a decade since the loss of the two firefighters.