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Military aircraft seen and heard over the Larnaca district on Thursday were part of scheduled activity and not an unexpected security incident, according to Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas.
The Greek F-16s were also spotted over the area on Wednesday, prompting residents to contact media outlets asking why fighter jets were flying above their communities.
Palmas told the Cyprus News Agency that the F-16s were operating from the Andreas Papandreou air base in Paphos under existing defense protocols.
The aircraft were carrying out low-altitude flights along the Paphos-Troodos-Larnaca route.
A larger aircraft seen in the area was identified as a French C-130 military transport plane, which departed from Larnaca airport as part of routine operations.
Asked whether Cyprus experiences unauthorized military flights, Palmas said Turkish F-16s frequently violate the Republic’s airspace. He added that Cyprus responds to every recorded violation through the appropriate government channels.
Watch below: Greek F-16s flying over the Larnaca area on Wednesday. Video courtesy of Larnaca Air Traffic Control.
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