The HAF rescues 8 French nationals in the Aegean during storm

February 18, 2012 | Filed under: Air Force,Featured News

On Friday the February 17 2012, a Super Puma helicopter of the Hellenic Air Force took off at 04:57, from the airport of the island of Chios, to rescue eight French nationals aboard the yacht «Yogi» (French flag), which was taking in water. The yacht was located between the islands of Skyros-Psara (21 NM west of Psara). The Super Puma was found at the point at 05:30. However, it was not possible to immediately haul the occupants due to unfavorable conditions. Then a second Super Puma helicopter took off from the 130 Combat Group at Limnos Airport at 6:49, which rescued the eight French and carried them safely on the island of Skyros at 9:10.

Earlier a NOTAM was issued for the rescue operation on the part of Greece, followed by Turkish NOTAMs for their own rescue operation and protesting for the Greek rescue operation because the incident according to Turkey took place in the Turkish area of ​SAR ​responsibility. Turkey is constantly questioning the right of Greece to conduct SAR operations within the Athens FIR.

The Greek ΝΟΤΑΜ:

A0250/12 – DUE TO SHIP TAKING ON WATER SEARCH AND RESCUE ACTIVITIES WILL TAKE
PLACE WITHIN THE AREA CIRCLE OF 5 MILES AND THE CENTER IS
384015N0250572E.
DUE TO POTENTIAL HIGH RISKS FOR AIR TRAFFIC,INDIVIDUAL UNITS ARE
REQUESTED TO ESTABLISH COORDINATION WITH THE PIRAEUS JRCC BEFORE
ENTERING THE ABOVE DESCRIBED AREA SITUATED WITHIN THE ATHINAI FIR
WHICH FALLS WITHIN ITS COMPETENCE. 00000FT AMSL – 05000FT AMSL, 17 FEB 02:40
2012 UNTIL 20 FEB 02:40 2012. CREATED: 17 FEB 03:05 2012

The Turkish ΝΟΤΑΜs:

A0596/12 (Issued for LTBB LGGG) – DUE TO EMERGENCY SIGNAL SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS WILL BE
CONDUCTED BY TURKISH SAR UNITS WITHIN AREA RADIUS 5NM CENTERED ON
3837N02505E AMSL/500FT FALLING UNDER TURKISH SEARCH AND RESCUE
REGION(SSR) LIMITED WITH HIGH SEAS.IN THE INTEREST OF FLIGHT SAFETY
DURING SAR ACTIVITIES,INDIVIDUAL UNITS OTHER THAN THE TURKISH SAR
AIRCRAFTS AND HELICOPTERS ARE STRICTLY ADVISED NOT TO ENTER THE SAID
AREA. SFC – 5000FT AMSL, 17 FEB 05:50 2012 UNTIL 18 FEB 10:00 2012. CREATED:
17 FEB 05:51 2012

—

A0597/12 (Issued for LTBB LGGG) – NAVIGATIONAL WARNING TO ALL CONCERNED:
AS REGARDS THE GREEK NOTAM A0250/12,
THIS NOTAM IS ISSUED TO CLARIFY THE REF NOTAM ISSUED BY GREEK CAA.
AS REGARDS THE GREEK NOTAM IN REF TURKEY DOES NOT ACCEPT THE
DEFINITION OF THE SEARCH AND RESCUE (SAR) AREA WITH REFERENCE TO
ATHENS FIR. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE 1979 HAMBURG CONVENTION ON
MARITIME SEARCH AND RESCUE, TURKEY, HAS THE MEANS AND THE
CAPABILITIES TO CONDUCT SAR OPERATIONS IN HER MARITIME SEARCH AND
RESCUE REGION (SRR)AS DECLARED TO THE IMO AND INCLUDED IN THE IMO’S
GLOBAL SAR PLAN AND WILL CONTINUE TO CONDUCT SAR OPERATIONS IN THE
SAID AREA. THEREFORE , ALL SAR EFFORTS/ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE TURKISH
SRR MUST BE COORDINATED WITH THE RELEVANT TURKISH AUTHORITIES. SFC – FL999,
17 FEB 06:00 2012 UNTIL 20 FEB 03:30 2012. CREATED: 17 FEB 06:53 2012

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  • Makos

    As far as I know SAR responsabilities are no longer limited to the the authorities of the FIR where an incident takes place. This has changed and anyone more convenient to offer help has the right to do so.

    So these kind of incidents put a more political perspective to the whole thing.

    Turkey sees this change in ICAO rules as a chance to question the Greek Athens FIR as well as the Greek sovereignity to half of the Aegean.

    This Turkish official claim is of course as crazy as Hitler’s right for having vital space for the German race in the Slavic East.

    There is no difference at all.

    And this is not Davutoglu’s or Erdogan’s dream.

    No, this is the constant goal of any Turkish government.

    After all this why Turkey staged the Imia crisis back in the 1996.

    So bravo to the Hellenic Air Force that promplty and succesfully conducted this operation proving that Greece is actively present in its far borders and far more capable in that area than the Turkish authorities despite the fact that the incident took place so near to the Turkish mainland.

    • Phoevos

      Actually, Mako:

      There is a bigger story here. The boat that went down was Turkish built and brand new launched in 2011.

      So, there is a credibility issue here for Turkish shipyards as well.

      • Eric R.

        Which leads to an obvious joke:

        Q: How do you sink a Turkish ship?

        A: Put it in water!

        • Stanteeman

          hahaha i like that put in water

    • HamiltonA

      Just to clarify your last sentence: this incident took place 21 nm miles west of Psara. The Turkish mainland is over 75 nm to the east. The Greek mainland is only 60 nm to the southwest. The area where the rescue was conducted occurred in the high seas area between Psara and Skyros (28 nm west). The first rescue helicopter took off from Chios, about 50 nm east, and the second came from Limnos, about 80 nm north. This was no where near the Turkish mainland.