Residents have expressed concern over the prolonged presence of an aircraft flying over the Limassol area for several hours on Saturday, with authorities clarifying that the vessel was carrying out research.
According to recorded flight data, the aircraft took off from Larnaca Airport at 9:47 a.m. and was up in the air for several hours, at an altitude of 360 metres with a speed of 167 mph.
The aircraft, a Douglas DC-3 operated by Kenn Borek Air, is typically used for special missions in remote or extreme environments rather than for regular passenger flights.
It is designed to transport cargo, supplies, and personnel to areas without conventional airports - such as the Arctic or Antarctic - and can land on ice or unpaved runways thanks to its robust structure. It can also be fitted with skis for snow-covered surfaces.
Kenn Borek Air often collaborates with scientific organisations such as the British Antarctic Survey and the US National Science Foundation (NSF), supporting research bases in Antarctica by transporting fuel, food, scientific instruments, and researchers. The company has also taken part in search and rescue operations, including medical evacuations from remote research stations.
From time to time, the aircraft is also used for private, research, or aerial survey flights.
Police sources told Politis that the aircraft is on a research mission and that the authorities have been informed by the Civil Aviation Department. They added that similar flights have taken place over other cities in recent days.