Cyprus has sent a police helicopter to Israel to assist in efforts to contain a large wildfire near Jerusalem, following an official request for support.
The police helicopter Akritas took off at 11am on Thursday with a full four-member crew, according to a joint announcement from the justice ministry and the police, shared on the social media platform X.
Government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis confirmed to the Cyprus News Agency that Israeli authorities had contacted the Cypriot government on Wednesday seeking assistance in battling the blaze.
“Cyprus responded positively and immediately, informing Israel of our availability to help within our capabilities, including both ground and aerial support,” Letymbiotis said.
The decision was made to deploy the Bell 412 helicopter Thursday morning.
“We remain in constant contact with Israel, and should the need arise, we are ready to dispatch ground firefighting crews without delay,” the spokesman added.
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