The unanswered questions continue to trouble the Greek authorities who are investigating the case about the circumstances under which the fatal accident of the Greek mission in Libya occurred.
A “cleaner” picture will be given when the investigations of the Libyan authorities are completed, but answers are needed in memory of the five dead Greeks, but also for the 13 wounded who remain hospitalized.
The accident involving the collision between the bus carrying the Greek humanitarian mission and the truck with the six-member Libyan family occurred at the 85th kilometer of the road from Benghazi to Al Bayda.
Modified tank with 200 liters of petrol
According to the ANT1 report, citing military sources, forerunner of the four-car phalanx was a jeep with gunmen coming from General Haftar’s forces. The bus with the 19 people was following – 16 military personnel and three interpreters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs – immediately then there was the truck with the three tons of humanitarian aid and last was another jeep with gunmen.
There were Libyans in the two convoys, since all the members of the Greek mission, medical and nursing staff, were inside the bus that collided head-on with the double-cab truck where the six-member Libyan family was, which also counts three dead from the fierce conflict.
As the phalanx moved down the road, there was a right turn ahead of them. In the opposite stream was a jeep, in which a family of 6 was riding. Under unspecified circumstances, the jeep’s right wheels went off the road and the driver, in his attempt to restore the vehicle, swerved as a result of which the jeep was pinned to the front left part of the coach.
According to confirmed information, the jeep had a modified fuel tank, which held about 200 liters of petrol. He is also the reason that explains how the two vehicles became engulfed in flames within a few seconds.
The scenario that EYP searched for
The EYP also dealt with the case to clarify exactly how the accident happened.
According to information from Vassilis Lambropoulos, which was broadcast by the Megalo Kanali, the EYP is said to have considered one more scenario. That of the “suicide mission” which, however, is removed based on the evidence that exists.
Based on the channel’s report, the fact that only the bus and the SUV and not the two jeeps accompanying it were involved in the collision, at first it seemed suspicious. The Authorities investigating the case having completed a first level of investigations, the most likely scenario leads to the conclusion of the tragic car accident. And that’s because while the amount of fuel initially seemed suspicious, they later concluded that at the given time period is common in Libya as drivers do not find fuel easily and thus are forced to store and transport it.
Why wasn’t an armored vehicle used?
Information from the Ministry of National Defense states that during the transfer of the Greek mission no armored vehicles of the Greek military were used, as the operational part was not a war one. The Greek mission in Libya was to provide health support to the Libyan people affected by the bad weather Daniel and therefore it was not considered appropriate for them to move in an armored vehicle.
The condition of the wounded
They arrived in Greece on the morning of Monday 18/09 with C-130 the 13 wounded, all members of the Armed Forces from the tragic accident in Libya. Immediately after their arrival at the 112th Combat Wing of Elefsina, they were transported by EKAV ambulances to the military hospitals.
Ten of the 13 wounded are in the 401 Military Hospital, while the remaining three are in the 251 General Air Hospital and the Athens Naval Hospital.
The 401st Military Hospital arrived at noon and the head of the GETHA, Konstantinos Floros, in order to visit the injured and find out about their state of health. He then went to the 251st Air General Hospital.
According to the latest information on their condition, one of them is more serious, having broken his pelvis, while the rest are not in danger for their lives, but they have multiple wounds all over their body, fractures and burns and underwent surgery. Another member of the expedition, the third translator, remained for treatment in Libya, as he has very serious injuries to his lower limbs and was not allowed to travel to Greece.
Earlier, the bodies of the three members of the Armed Forces and two interpreters, who were part of the State Department mission, were repatriated by C-27 aircraft from Libya.
Three days of mourning were declared in the Armed Forces by decision of the Minister of National Defense, Nikos Dendiaswhile, according to information, an investigation will be conducted into the exact cause of the accident.
Mourning for 46-year-old Glykeria – Her brother is shocking
Photos were released showing the members of the Greek mission in Libya shortly before the fatal traffic accident and in one of them, the two dead nurses appear.
The 46-year-old Glykeria was a vice captain of the Health Department. she last contacted her brother when he arrived at the airport in Libya, he said, speaking to Alpha.
“She texted me when they got to the airport and that was the last time I spoke to her. She wanted to go, because of her position and because it was a humanitarian aid mission. I found out about the accident in the afternoon from some website and that it was an accident was confirmed late by the GRETHA”, he said characteristically.
And he continued: “At noon they arrived in Libya and after half an hour the accident must have happened… I always admired her for what she did. She constantly tried to develop in her profession».
“Why did I lose my child?” is the question that torments the father of the 27-year-old non-commissioned officer Giorgos Voulgaris who died in Libya. “He sent a message ‘we’ve arrived, we’re fine – He served 8 years in the army,'” he said among other things.
The death now of the 40-year-old nurse E.A. brought her tragic story to light. The woman at 251 GNA, had just married her lover last July.
The unfortunate soldier’s brother had also been killed in a car accident, while her uncle was a “flyer” who also died in the line of dutywhen the aircraft he was on during a scheduled mission crashed.
A few years ago, the woman had revealed through a post on social media that this was also the reason that led her to choose the Air Force.
“When asked why I chose Aviation, I always answer that I was destined to serve her before I was even born”.
Testimonies of survivors
As the survivors reported to Alpha, the first vehicle – with armed Libyans in front had moved quite far and suddenly at a bend in the middle of the road, a beastly jeep appeared at high speed, lost control and collided head-on with the bus carrying the Greeks .
The five people sitting in the front seats died instantlyas the survivors describe, as the bus immediately caught fire.
At the same time the driver and the commanding colonel were thrown from the windshield and saved, but seriously injured.
Immediately, the officers of the Armed Forces broke the windows and released the remaining members of the Greek missionbefore the bus was completely engulfed in flames.
Source: News Beast
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