Russian Beriev Be-200 aircraft makes over 30 flights to put out fires in Greece — Rostec

MOSCOW, August 5. / TASS /. Russia’s Beriev Be-200 aircraft made more than 30 sorties to extinguish wildfires in Greece, the Rostec state corporation said on Thursday. "While extinguishing fires in Greece, the Russian Beriev Be-200 aircraft flew over 100 hours. The crew, currently working as a fire brigade, made 36 sorties to put out the most dangerous wildfires in the country’s seven regions, including Crete and Rhodes," the statement reads. The aircraft carried out more than 400 water drops with a total volume of 2,500 tonnes. "Despite an increased level of flights, the aircraft is in a good condition. The crew demonstrates high professionalism, which is recognized by local firefighting experts," according to the Rostec state corporation. The day before, Rostec reported that the plane's engine sensor had tripped, after which it landed on two engines. A system analysis confirmed the engine’s full operability, after which the aircraft continued extinguishing fires. In late June, Rostec mentioned that the Russian Beriev Be-200 aircraft arrived in Greece to assist in putting out forest fires in line with an agreement signed in Athens between the Greek Ministry of Citizen Protection, which was responsible for organizing measures to combat wildfires, and Russia’s Ilyushin Aviation Complex. Read more