Two F-16 fighter jets of the Turkish Air Force violated Cypriot air space and flew too close to the aircraft of Cyprus Airways CY346 flight to London while it was gaining altitude after taking off from Larnaca airport. According to Kyriakos Kyriakou, Head of Communication and Public Relations of Cyprus Airways, the crew of the aircraft had visual contact with the Turkish fighters, after it had received a notice from air traffic controllers, but there was no harassment, nor the flight safety was compromised.

Kyriakou said that these Turkish fighters certainly flew illegally in the Cypriot airspace and the Civil Aviation is aware of this problem . This is yet another Turkish provocation, after the naval exercise conducted by the Turkish Navy off the coast of Limassol. According to the newspaper Fileleftheros, Turkish fighters besides violating the airspace of Cyprus and Nicosia FIR rules, yesterday also violated several times the reserved area LCD3 around the British Base of Akrotiri.

The culmination of yesterdays provocative behavior of Turkey was the appearance of two Turkish helicopters in the morning flight of Noble Energys helicopter, from the port of Limassol to the Noble Homer Ferrington drilling platform, as well as on the return flight. Specifically, during the flight from the port to the platform, two AS-532 Cougar helicopters of the Turkish occupation forces based in Kiryneia, flew at very low altitude and accompanied the Bell-412 helicopter on a path of about 20 km to the platform. The incident took place over international waters, while the Turkish helicopters moved away approximately 60 kilometers from the platform. The newspaper reported that aboard the U.S. registered helicopter was a crew of two (American and a Israeli), and five passengers of U.S. citizenship.

According to the newspaper, four ships of the Turkish Navy were sailing yesterday morning in the area between the port of Limassol and the platform in international waters .

More impotent sword rattling. Move the S-300's back to Cyprus and the flights will end-quitely and without further fanfare. Turks are wimps.