-
.
- Ελληνικά
This year marks 22 years since the tragic morning of July 10, 2002 and the fatal crash of a National Guard (NF) helicopter, which led to the unexpected loss of the Chief of the Greek National Guard, Lieutenant General Evangelos Florakis, the Commander of the Air Force, Brigadier General Stylianos Demenagas, Captain Paris Athanasiadis, Lieutenant Nikolaos Georgiou and Lieutenant Michael Siakalli.
That black morning, the light did not succeed the darkness of the night. A heavy black veil covered the Cypriot land, spreading grief, pain and heartbreak among our people when the sad news of the loss of the five officers spread.
That black morning was to be indelibly imprinted in our memory. "Dawn - A nightmare for all Cyprus, The sacrifice that should not have been made", "The National Guard was orphaned", "Cyprus mourns" were some of the headlines of the daily newspapers.
The National Front wore black and mourned in tears when they realised that they were deprived forever of their valuable services at a time when, more than ever before, their country and their families needed them.
Our Cyprus was martyred. Greece and the nation as a whole were martyred.
With their tragic deaths, the five heroes laid down on the altar of duty what was most precious to them, their lives. They sealed the contract of honour they had entered into for selfless service to their country.
The helicopter, which took off from the Lakatameia airport, headed to the Pafos airbase in order to transport the leadership of the AF to observe a night exercise, which included flights of newly acquired attack helicopters, which were received in the previous period and were eventually presented for the first time, paying tribute on the day of the funeral of Chief General Florakis.
Under unclear circumstances, about two kilometres away from the Paphos Air Base, in an area near the community of Kouklia, the helicopter, following a failure and the outbreak of fire in the fuselage, crashed, carrying to his death the Chief and the officers accompanying him.
A short time proved to be enough to deprive the families of their loved ones and the AF of the valuable services of five outstanding officers, who dedicated their lives in the fight to defend the freedom of our homeland. This homeland, which they undertook to defend to the utmost and did so until their last breath.
Ladies and gentlemen,
No commemorative speech can do full justice to their ethical, honest and dignified attitude towards their country. It runs the risk of being imperfect in its accuracy of description or incomplete in highlighting their personalities.
No memorial speech can also adequately describe the pain of the families of the fallen officers when they were informed of the death of their own men.
No memorial speech can do justice to the heartbreak of the mother for her child, the silent grief of the father who lost his son, the incalculable loss of the wife who lost her support and the child who was deprived of his parent.
The heart clenches, the soul weeps silently, and words seem poor in the face of the weight of sudden loss.
Lieutenant General Evangelos Florakis was a charismatic Officer and deeply loyal to the timeless values of Hellenism. He was an ardent patriot and a true defender of Cyprus. It is no exaggeration to say that General Florakis was equally a child of Greece and Cyprus.
The training, knowledge and experience he possessed from his long service, the distinctions he achieved, as well as his previous service in the AF played a decisive role in the decision to appoint him by the then President of the Republic, the late Glafkos Clerides, to the top leadership of the AF.
Hearty and approachable, methodical and tireless, just, tolerant and calm, he won the universal love and deep trust of the staff of the NF, the State and the Cypriot society.
Those who served under his command remember vividly his leadership qualities and his humanity. His communication skills and his ability to define and achieve his objectives made him stand out from the rest.
He always led by example and sought and enforced discipline when required, but never forgetting that he was addressing young people with needs and dreams who expected a lot from him.
"My job is to enforce the law and enforcing the law for Cyprus is liberation," he said in an interview, only to add shortly afterwards, when asked by a journalist about how he feels when he faces the Five Finger, that: "I try not to look. That's the least I can do... Friends, colleagues come to mind. These lads deserve a vindication...".
Born in 1952 in Kea, Brigadier General Stylianos Demenagas in the summer of 2002 was completing one year of service as Commander of the Air Command of the Air Force.
With over 23 years of service as an aircraft commander and co-pilot and more than 4500 flight hours, he was a highly experienced fighter pilot, always faithful to duty, an avowed airborne defender of the freedom and Greekness of the Aegean.
Since 1974, when he graduated from the Icons School with the rank of Lieutenant, he served in positions of high responsibility and attended specialist aviation schools both in Greece and abroad.
In July 2001 he took up his duties and throughout the following period he devoted every ounce of his strength to the upgrading of the Air Force, leaving his indelible mark.
The helicopter commander Major Paris Athanasiadis was an excellent professional, a highly competent officer and an excellent collaborator. He undertook and carried out every mission assigned to him with courage, determination and cheerfulness.
At his side was his co-pilot, Lieutenant Michael Syakallis, the youngest of the five. Those who knew him or served with him described him as a man full of kindness, goodness and philanthropy.
From his position as co-pilot he followed his captain on the tragic flight, faithful to his duty and the oath he took to his country.
The tragic list of martyrs is completed last, but not least, by Lieutenant Nicholas Georgiou, the aide-de-camp of Chief Florakis. He combined decency of character and modesty with an unyielding attitude and a selfless willingness to offer his country. He remained with his Chief to the end and shared the same fate with him.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
This year marks 22 years since the fateful day of July 10, 2002, when the five officers crossed the gate of the Heroes of Hellenism, crowned with tears, leaving their last breath in uniform on duty.
The eagles that adorn the monument at the place of their sacrifice, as a symbol of strength and militancy, confirm the eternal appreciation of Cypriot Hellenism for them, indicate to all of us our duty to our homeland and motivate us to fulfill our national debt.
Chief Evangelos Florakis,
Vice General Stylianos Demenagas,
Major General Paris Athanasiadis,
Commander Nicolae Georgiou,
Captain Michael Siakalis,
Your illustrious figures, shining and radiant will forever illuminate our souls and the skies of our long-suffering homeland, and will show us the path of selfless service.
It remains for us to live up to your expectations and your struggles. For it is imperative that we maintain the standards that will enable us to continue the struggle unrelentingly until the final vindication.
At a time of crisis of values and ideals, we need to nurture the new generations with the high ideals with which you were raised, marched and fought to defend the peace and territorial integrity of our homeland.
In the measure of your self-denial, we must not forget Socrates' legacy in the Platonic dialogue Crito that "Patrice is more honourable than father, mother and other ancestors.
Your unwavering commitment to the service of the homeland is a shining beacon and provides us with the strength and courage to walk the difficult path to achieve our supreme national goal.
Let us therefore draw from your sacrifice the strength required to continue to honour you through our actions and to keep your memory alive.
May the memory and glory that adorns your name be eternal. Immortals.
(NZ/GS)
Contents of this article including associated images are belongs to PIO
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or PIO
Source
