President Ersin Tatar requests British fire-fighting helicopters from the SBA’s to help in efforts to put out the fire in Geçitköy
President Ersin Tatar, having cancelled his programme, is in the Geçitköy region to supervise efforts to put out the fire in the Geçitköy region in the north-west of the island.
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Making a statement, President Tatar stated that a request upon his initiative was made for fire-fighting helicopters from the Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs), to help in the efforts to bring the fire under control.
He added that he had cancelled his programme and was in the region to oversee the efforts to put out the fire, emphasising that the fire had spread to the forest areas of the region.
The respective emergency response units of the State, under the leadership of the President, are in the region and making intense efforts to put out the fire. The President, together with the Cyprus Turkish Peace Forces Commander Major General Sezai Öztürk and the Security Forces (GKK) Commander Major General Zorlu Topaloğlu, conducted inspections of the fire area by helicopter.
Two fire-fighting helicopters dispatched from the SBA’s are taking part in the efforts to put out the fire, following the initiatives of the Presidency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.