The dead bodies of three Armed Forces officers and two interpreters supplied by the foreign ministry for Greece's humanitarian aid mission to Libya were being returned to Greece in a C-27 military transport plane on Monday.
"I express my deepest sorrow for the death of the three members of the Armed Forces, who lost their lives in the line of duty, participating in the Greek humanitarian aid mission in Libya," Minister of National Defence, Nikos Dendias, said on Monday regarding the death of members of the Greek humanitarian aid mission in Libya.
"The loss of their lives in an accident, during the practical demonstration of solidarity to our fellow human beings who are being tested, together with members of missions from other states, causes immense sadness to the large family of the Armed Forces, as well as to the entire Greek people", he underlined.
"My deepest sorrow," he added, "I also express for the loss of life of the two civilians, who were part of the same mission. Our thoughts at this time are with the families of the victims of the accident, to whom we extend our most sincere condolences, as well as to the injured, to whom we wish a speedy recovery."
"By my decision, a three-day national mourning is declared in the Armed Forces for the death of the officers, during the humanitarian aid mission in Libya," Dendias concluded.