5 members of Greek humanitarian mission to Libya killed in road accident

Athens, Sep 18

Five members of a Greek humanitarian mission to Libya were killed and 10 others injured in a car accident, Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias said here on Monday, expressing condolences and declaring a three-day period of mourning in the Armed Forces.

The incident occurred on Sunday shortly after the 19-member team arrived in Benghazi. A bus transporting them from Benghazi to the city of Derna to assist in the wake of devastating floods collided with another vehicle, defence ministry officials said.

Three of the dead were officers of the Hellenic Armed Forces and two were translators from the Greek foreign ministry, Dendias said.

Their bodies, as well as the rest of the members of the mission, were repatriated on Monday on two Hellenic Air Force transport planes, Greek national broadcaster ERT reported.

"The entire nation is mourning. My thoughts are with the victims' families and the 10 injured. The state will stand by their side," said Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.