Noratlas Plane Arrives in Cyprus from Greece for Memorial

A Noratlas aircraft arrived by ship in Cyprus from Greece on Monday. It was disassembled when it arrived and was transported to a military cemetery in Nicosia in the Makedonitissa area where it will be reassembled and become a memorial to Greek Soldiers who were killed during the Turkish invasion of the island in 1974.

The Noratlas is the same type of aircraft the Greek air force officers used when they flew to Cyprus to help defend the island from the Turkish invasion.

Of the 15 Greek aircrafts that were deployed to aid Cyprus’ National Guard in 1974, only 13 of them made it to the island. Many of the planes were fired on by the National Guard when they arrived as they were mistaken as the invading Turkish army.

Recently one of the 13 aircrafts, which was buried at the Makedonitissa cemetery with a memorial monument to the soldiers placed on top of it, was exhumed and the remains of the 19 fallen Greek soldiers which were left inside of the plane when it was buried were finally returned to their families.

Source: GreekReporter