Fire drill held at Ercan airport

A FIRE and rescue drill was conducted at Ercan airport on Wednesday. Civil Aviation Department staff and the Ercan airport firefighting crew took part in the exercise.

According to information provided by the Public Works and Transport Ministry, the “successful drill” took place on empty land south-west of Ercan airport.

The scenario of the drill was that a Boeing 747 with flight number LX2413 from İstanbul to Ercan had skidded off of a slippery runway at 10am.

In response to this “incident”, in which scrap cars were used to simulate a burning plane, “D” team crew chief Aşkın Meşeli informed the Airport Fire Brigade chief, Civil Aviation

Department director, Ercan airport police chief, Air Traffic Control Tower Department and the Airport Operations Unit and sent “all fire trucks and personnel” to the scene.

Public Works and Transport Minister Erhan Arıklı, who observed the drill, said that Ercan airport is in “safe hands” and congratulated all those involved in the drill.

Airport Fire Brigade chief Mustafa Karşılı said that the aim of the drill, which is held every six months, is to “better train personnel and increase their self-confidence”.

Mr Karşılı expressed that “deficiencies were identified” thanks to such exercises, “thus increasing our ability to respond more effectively”.