Athens International Airport - Full Scale Emergency Exercise Athens International Airport organises emergency exercises on an annual basis, aiming at ensuring the highest level of safety, readiness, training, and coordination of all parties involved in emergency situations. The Full Scale Emergency Exercise 2008 “Aircraft’s Accident on the Airport” (within an 8-km range from the airport), which took place today, Wednesday, November 5th, 2008, was conducted in compliance with the obligations arising from the ICAO regulations. Besides the Athens International Airport the following entities participated in the exercise:
- Exercise Scenario-
On the basis of the exercise scenario, an accident will occur on a foreign airliner operating a scheduled Athens - London flight, with 5-crew and 45 passengers on board. According to the scenario, at approximately 10:58, the airport’s ATC will give the green light for take off - At 11:00, and with the plane flying at 150 ft, 500 meters from runway 21R threshold, the captain will transmit “May Day, May Day, the engines are shut down, we are losing height, will attempt emergency landing”. This will be the last transmission before the plane disappears from radar . Immediately, ATC Tower controller will declare crash alarm, alert the Airport Fire Corps, and notify the Airport Services Operations Centre and the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre. Based on the scenario, one wing is detached from the crash, destroying the aircraft, which breaks up in two, and is set on fire causing the death of 20 and the injury of another 20 of those on board.
- END OF SCENARIO -
Similar exercises are organised on a regular basis by Athens International Airport S.A. in compliance with the international regulations, aiming at evaluating elements of the airport emergency plan, improving its effectiveness, and enhancing the ability to protect lives, property, and airport operations continuity in case of a real emergency situation.