July 19th-20th 1974

The following is a remarkable story related to me by a former Cyprus Airways co-pilot about the 19th-20th July.

The image taken from the window of a Cyprus Airways Trident departing on a repatriation flight on the 19th July 5pm.

The co-pilot recalls..........

“I had flown a group of German tourists to Düsseldorf in 5B-DAC and was returning empty to Nicosia.”

“As we approached Cyprus from the North-West, the Trident’s radar picked up numerous large returns from ships.”

“We asked Air Traffic Control if we should divert to Beirut."

"Their reponse was........negative, land in Nicosia.”

“After we landed in Nicosia, we contacted the National Guard at the airport but they wouldn’t believe our story about the fleet of ships heading for Cyprus.”

“As nobody was concerned I drove home to my house near Kyrenia.”

“At the National Guard tank base near Snake Island I woke up the sentry and told him my story.”

“He replied.......You’ve had a very long night, sir. Go home and get some sleep!”