24th anniversary of the 2002 National Guard helicopter crash

On July 10, 2002, a Bell 206 helicopter of the Cypriot National Guard crashed near the village of Kouklia, approximately two kilometers from the Andreas Papandreou Air Base in Paphos. The aircraft was performing a night training flight from Lakatamia airport at an altitude of 3,000 feet. All five personnel on board were killed in the crash, which resulted in an immediate explosion and fire upon impact. The victims were National Guard Chief Lieutenant General Evangelos Florakis, Air Force Commander Lieutenant General Stylianos Demenegas, Squadron Leader Paris Athanasiadis, Lieutenant Commander Nikolaos Georgiou, and Flight Lieutenant Michalis Siakallis. The final communication with the Paphos air traffic control tower occurred shortly before the crash, reporting no anomalies. While official accounts describe the cause as unclear, some sources suggest a possible mechanical failure prompted an emergency landing attempt before the impact. The incident remains a significant event in the history of the Cypriot National Guard, with annual memorials held to honor the fallen officers.