In a rare incident in Sithonia, Halkidiki, a Canadair firefighting aircraft accidentally dumped tonnes of water on a hotel instead of the sea. The mishap occurred while the aircraft was conducting test flights, causing significant disruption to staff and guests.
Hotel owner Dimitris Tsoufis reported that the aircraft emptied its load over the hotel, drenching guests who were swimming in the pool and those on the balconies. "After continuous test training flights yesterday afternoon, the last aircraft, instead of dumping the water into the sea, finally emptied the water into the pool and the people sitting in the open bar and on the first and second floor balconies. It created panic and disruption," Tsoufis said.
The sudden deluge caused damage, including muddy water and seaweed, but the main concern was the large amount of water that unexpectedly fell on guests, leading to widespread panic. Fortunately, there were no serious injuries.
Despite the incident, Tsoufis has decided not to take legal action against the Greek government. However, he urged authorities to exercise more caution in future operations, emphasising the potential for serious harm.
(Source: Lifo)