January 31, 1996 | Hellenic Navy’s Helicopter crashes while flying over Imia | The timeline of the crisis – VIDEO

Defence Redefined

Published on 31/01/2021 at 09:34

Twenty-five years have passed since the fatal crash of a Hellenic Navy helicopter that flew over Imia to detect the presence of Turkish troops. Lieutenant (ΗΝ) Christodoulos Karathanasis, Lieutenant (ΗΝ) Panagiotis Vlachakos and Chief Petty Officer (HN) Ektoras Gialopsos lost their lives on that fateful night of January 31, 1996.

The crisis timeline

On December 25, 1995, the Turkish cargo ship “Figen Akat” was driven ashore in shallow water near Eastern Imia, sending a distress signal, but the captain did not accept help from the Hellenic Coast Guard, claiming that it was in Turkish territory. 

A day later, the Kalymnos Port Authority informs the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), which in return informs the Turkish MFA, that if there is no tug ship intervention, the cargo ship is in danger. The Turkish MFA, on December 27, states that the rescue of the ship is not related to the rocky islets in the Aegean, which, as is stressed, Ankara stands against.

Finally, on December 28, two Greek tugs detach the Turkish cargo ship and drive it to Gulluk. That day, a Turkish fighter jet crashed in Greek territorial waters, in Lesvos, after engaging with Greek fighters. The turkish pilot is rescued. On December 29, the Turkish Foreign Ministry officially claims that Imia is registered in the Mugla land registry and cadastre of Bodrum prefecture and belongs to Turkey.

The belated response from the Greek Foreign Minister comes 11 days later, rejecting the Turkish demands.

The mayor of Kalymnos, Dimitris Diakomichalis, seeing that Ankara is raising territorial claims in Imia, decides to reach the islet. On January 25, 1996, accompanied by the Kalymnos Police Director G. Riolas and two residents of the island, he raised the Greek flag in Mikri (Small) Imia and a day later on the other rocky islet.

Then, the Turkish media broadcast images with the Greek flag in Imia, causing a stir in the neighboring country. On January 27, two Hurriyet journalists from the Izmir office arrived in Mikri Imia by helicopter and lowered the Greek flag, raising a Turkish one. They record the operation on camera and show it on a network.

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The crisis in Imia escalated in the following days. On January 28, 1996, the Hellenic Navy’s Patrol Boat “Antoniou” removed the Turkish flag and raised the Greek one, violating the political order that was only to lower the Turkish flag. In the evening of the same day, Greek “frogmen” disembarked in Mikri Imia from the Gun Boat “Pyrpolitis” to guard the flag at night, while in the morning they would return to their boat. However, plans were changed and it was decided to guard the flag continuously, resulting in the return of the “frogmen”.

The next afternoon, the new Prime Minister Costas Simitis sends a clear message to Turkey that Greece will respond vigorously to a challenge. Turkish Prime Minister 

Tansu Çiller also made statements on January 30th, telling the Turkish parliament that the next day the Greek flag and the Hellenic army would be removed from Imia.

The Helicopter crash and the three dead 

At dawn on January 31st, Turkish special forces landed in Megali (West) Imia. A few hours later, a Hellenic Navy helicopter, which had flown over the spot to detect the presence of Turkish troops, crashed on its return to its frigate “Navarino”.

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The helicopter with its crew, namely Lieutenant (ΗΝ) Christodoulos Karathanasis, Lieutenant (ΗΝ) Panagiotis Vlachakos and Chief Petty Officer (HN) Ektoras Gialopsos disappeared from the radars between the islets of Pita and Kalolikmos.  According to the official statement of the Hellenic Navy, the AB-212 helicopter with the call sign ΠΝ (ΗΝ) 21 crashed due to bad weather and loss of pilot orientation (vertigo). 

In the documentary of the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation “MEGA TO TIS THALASSIS KRATOS-IMIA” edited by the journalist Aimili Michael, you can watch the shocking testimonies of the protagonists of that period.

The AB-212 Helicopter 

The AB-212 helicopter is specially-designed for antisubmarine warfare (ASW), anti surface warfare (ASuW) and surface surveillance. Secondary missions include Search and Rescue (SAR), Vertical replenishment (VERTREP) and Special Operations such as Fast Roping, Parachuting, etc. The AB 212 helicopter is deployed mainly on board warships (fregates).

The long service of AB 212 helicopters has begun since their acquisition by the Hellenic Navy in 1979. Currently the Navy has 8 helicopters of this type.

The twin engine AB 212 helicopter is built by Agusta and features, among others, a thermal imaging system (FLIR), a Dipping Sonar, DOPPLER AN/ARN-208 (V) Radar and Automatic Stabilization Equipment (ASE).

In terms of armament, it can carry a 7.62 mm MG3 machine gun and two MK-46 light torpedoes with a range of approximately 11000 meters.

With information from: hellenicnavy.gr, iefimerida.gr 

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