The Cyprus Air Traffic Controllers’ Union is issuing a serious complaint about the safety of civil flights in Cypriot airspace , bringing to light a near-serious accident between a Turkish military aircraft and a Boeing 737-800 passenger plane .
According to the controllers’ complaint, the Turkish aircraft with code TUAF770 did not respond to calls from the Nicosia Control Center, arbitrarily deviated from its flight plan and began to climb towards flight level FL360.
At the same time, passenger flight TOM56T was in the process of descending to FL350, dangerously crossing its course. Thanks to the immediate intervention and operational vigilance of the controllers , the descent of the passenger aircraft was interrupted at the last moment, preventing a potential tragedy.
The union denounces Ankara’s complete disregard for passenger safety , underlining that the presence of unauthorized Turkish military aircraft and drones (UAVs) along critical air routes near Larnaca and Paphos airports has been a daily reality for decades .
The situation is dramatically aggravated by the systematic refusal of the Turkish authorities to maintain two-way communication with the Nicosia Control Center , as well as by the ongoing interference caused by the illegal operation of the airport in occupied Tymbou.
For its part, the Department of Civil Aviation of the Republic of Cyprus was quick to provide reassuring assurances, emphasizing that the level of aviation safety in Nicosia FIR remains particularly high .
As the competent state authorities point out, the Turkish activity is a known and timeless operational fact that is addressed on a daily basis with increased vigilance measures, noting that the timely prevention of the convergence of the two aircraft proves in practice the high training of the personnel and the effectiveness of the air traffic control system .
