Roundup: Two more planes of the 1974 Greek expedition to Cyprus unearthed

Cypriot authorities have found two more transport planes of the Greek Airforce 42 years after they were sent to help Greek Cypriot forces facing the Turkish army which had made a landing on the eastern Mediterranean island, an official said on Friday.

Fotis Fotiou, Presidential Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, said the two Noratlas planes were spotted in a gorge next to the now defunct Nicosia airport.

The debris of another Noratlas plane and the remains of 15 Greek commandos were recently unearthed at a nearby spot where the plane had crashed.

Turkey sent troops to Cyprus, occupying more than one third of the island, on the pretext of protecting Turkish Cypriots after a coup by the military rulers of Greece at the time.

The planes were part of an expedition of 20 Noratlas and 10 Dacota planes which were planned to transport a commando unit of about 350 men to the Nicosia airport where heavy fighting was going on.

The operation, which the international press called a "suicide mission" at the time, took place on the night of July 21, 1974.

Only 15 planes, flying at a low altitude and under complete silence, could take off within the prescribed time limit before daybreak.

Two of the planes had to return to base because of technical problems, one was shot down killing all 32 on board and three others were damaged by friendly fire because of poor communications and battle confusion.

All other planes landed at the airport and returned to Greece but the two were left on the tarmac.

After a truce was signed the airport was taken over by United Nations peace keeping forces.

The two Noratlas planes were found after the only eyewitness, a Greek Cypriot working at a British RAF facility at the airport, told authorities that in December, 2015, he watched as a British officer towed the two damaged planes into a 10 meter gorge next to airport's runway.

"As I am in poor health, I thought it was time to tell the secret I have been carrying for 42 years," Takis Theologos was reported telling authorities.

Fotiou said Cypriot authorities are considering the issue of what to do with the planes with Greece, as they belong to the Greek Air force.

He said that there are no human remains on the two planes, though two commandos were killed and eight wounded at the time.

Fotiou also said that that the remains of the last 15 missing men on the crashed Noratlas have been identified and will soon be returned to their relatives, 42 years after their death. Endit