Nicosia, Jan 27
Israeli flights scheduled to land at Paphos airport in western Cyprus have been redirected to Larnaca airport on the island's southern coast, following a directive from Israeli authorities, according to a Cypriot official on Monday.
The change in destination, which will last several days, comes after the Israeli government cited "various security reasons" for the decision.
Victor Papadopoulos, Director of the Cyprus President's press office, confirmed the alteration in flight routes, stating, "We were informed that the Israelis decided to operate their flights to and from Larnaca airport instead of Paphos." However, Papadopoulos refrained from providing further details on the reasons behind the move.
Israeli media first reported the change late on Sunday night, mentioning security concerns as the primary factor. According to Cyprus' state-run Cyprus News Agency, the decision was made by Israel's Shin Bet domestic security agency. The directive is expected to remain in place until further notice.
There are about 17 flights per week from Tel Aviv and Haifa to Paphos, while approximately 60 flights operate weekly between Israel and Larnaca, according to the winter flight schedules, Xinhua news agency reported.
The Israeli embassy in Nicosia also confirmed the diversion, explaining that flights operated by Israeli carriers, including EL AL and Arkia, would temporarily land at Larnaca due to "various security issues." The embassy assured that the situation would be closely monitored and evaluated in full cooperation with Cypriot authorities.
Cypriot authorities have tightened security measures at the Israeli embassy in Nicosia and other possible Israeli targets around the island since the start of the conflict in Gaza last year.
- IANS