Memorial service held for officers killed in 2002 helicopter crash

A memorial service was held in Kouklia to honor five National Guard officers who died in a helicopter crash on July 10, 2002. The deceased were Chief of the National Guard Evangelos Florakis, Air Force Commander Stylianos Demenegas, pilot Paris Athanasiadis, aide-de-camp Nikolas Georgiou, and co-pilot Michalis Siakallis. Defense Minister Vasilis Palmas led the ceremony, praising the professional conduct and dedication of the officers. The helicopter was en route from Lakatamia Airport to the Andreas Papandreou Air Base in Paphos to transport leadership for a night training exercise involving newly acquired aircraft. The crash occurred near the village of Kouklia under circumstances that remain noted as unspecified in official addresses. Minister Palmas emphasized the lasting impact of their sacrifice on the Cyprus National Guard and the Republic of Cyprus. The event serves as an annual tribute to the officers' service and their role in national defense. A monument at the site of the crash commemorates the five individuals.