Fire truck pump failure delays firefighting at Ercan Airport

On March 13, 2026, a vehicle caught fire while parking at the tourist bus park of Ercan Airport in Northern Cyprus. During the firefighting attempt, a fire truck failed to supply water due to a pump breakdown, reported KTAMS union chairman Güven Bengihan.

According to Kıbrıs Postası, the flames were suppressed using dry chemical powder. Bengihan noted that the airport relies on outdated and insufficient numbers of vehicles for fire response, including potential aircraft accidents; the union has previously issued repeated written and public warnings on this matter.

The KTAMS chairman characterized the incident not merely as a technical malfunction, but as a manifestation of neglect and indifference toward safety issues. According to him, the identified failure could hinder timely firefighting in the event of a more serious incident at the airfield.

For residents in Northern Cyprus, this signifies a potential increased risk during airport emergencies: the incident exposed problems with the readiness of rescue equipment and demands an urgent analysis of equipment conditions and corrective measures, the union noted.