GREECE (INTERCEPTION OF BRITISH AIRCRAFT) (Hansard, 4 July 1956)

§ Lord John Hope

Yes. A reply from the Greek Government was received by Her Majesty's Ambassador in Athens on 28th June. A summary of its contents is given below. Her Majesty's Ambassador in Athens, in replying today to the Greek Note, welcomed the fact that disciplinary measures are to be taken against the pilot responsible for flying too close to the British European Airways airliner, since, regardless of his skill, he in fact endangered the lives of the crew and passengers of the aircraft concerned. In addition, Her Majesty's Ambassador's reply rebutted certain of the allegations made in the Greek Note and pointed out that it is contrary to international practice for an aircraft which has unwittingly left the air corridor to be treated as if it had flown in a prohibited area. The reply further suggested certain action by the Greek authorities which, in the opinion of Her Majesty's Ambassador and the representative of British European Airways would assist in avoiding such incidents in future.A reply from the Greek Government was received by Her Majesty's Ambassador in Athens on 28th June. In its Note the Greek Government stated that military aircraft had been dispatched by the Greek authorities to intercept the British European Airways aircraft in accordance with a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation regulation providing for such investigations of aircraft flying outside the air corridors, in cases where the flight is not expected or announced and the nationality of the aircraft is unknown. The Note recognised, however, that one of the two Greek aircraft involved had passed unnecessarily close to the British European Airways aircraft and stated that disciplinary measures would be taken against the pilot responsible. The Note also claimed that the detention of the crew of the aircraft and the inspection of the aircraft and of the crew's baggage was justified by international regulations and Greek laws on this subject. The Commandant of the airport had nevertheless been requested to inquire into the conduct of the staff of the airport and to take action against any one responsible for causing unnecessary delay to the aircraft. In reply to the question raised in Her Majesty's Ambassador's Note on why the British European Airways aircraft concerned was not advised by the control post at the airport that it was outside the corridor, the Greek Note claimed that until the moment of identification, radio contact was impracticable and that once the identity of the aircraft had been established, it was so near to the airport that communication would have been superfluous.