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| Norway sends aid to Greece |
| [30.08.2007, 10:51pm, Thu. GMT] |
The Norwegian government sent a specially equipped helicopter to Greece over the weekend, with crews experienced at battling forest fires. Plans were being laid, meanwhile, to get more than 200 Norwegian tourists out of the area. The Bell 214 helicopter was expected to reach Greece late Monday afternoon. Its crew and its equipment have long experience in fighting forest and brush fires in Norway."We want to do what we can," said Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. "Greece has asked us for help, and we're responding with the helicopter now, and will continue to see what else we can do."
Around 240 Norwegian tourists are currently on holiday in the Peloponnes, where fires continued to rage out of control Monday. The fires have claimed more than 60 lives so far.
"Nobody is unaffected by what's happening in the area," said Roya Sæter of Lilleput Reiser. "The tourists also realize the fires are an indescribable catastrophe."
None of them was in danger on Monday, but Lilleput and Apollo Reiser were evaluating various means of getting clients off the peninsula.
The Norwegian Embassy in Athens was also trying to stay in contact with the Norwegian travelers. Most were staying around Kalamata, which wasn't burning as of Monday. If the fires aren't extinguished, they may reach the area within two days.
Apollo's clients were due to return to Norway on Saturday. They may be moved to another part of Greece. |
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