Investigation into Helicopter Rental Scandal: Audit Authority Examines Straightforward Grant to Firm Previously Terminated for Poor Performance
In the midst of a recent wildfire in Limassol, Cyprus, questions are being raised about the procurement process for firefighting helicopters. The Audit Office (AO) has sent letters to the Ministry of Defence, requesting clarifications on the direct lease of two helicopters to a company whose contract award was annulled by the Administrative Court.
The controversy began in June 2025, when lawyer George Triantafyllides sent a letter to the Attorney General, the Auditor General, and the Accountant General, offering four Ka-32 helicopters from Air Taurus for the 2025 firefighting season. Each helicopter was equipped with 5,000-litre Bambi buckets, two dedicated flight crews, and was fully compliant with firefighting requirements.
However, the tender committee ultimately chose Helis Company, but it was later discovered that certain information presented by Helis did not match the details evaluated by the committee. It was also alleged that Helis failed to submit essential documents such as performance charts and flight logs for key helicopter components.
Air Taurus argued before the Administrative Court that Helis' helicopters had serious deficiencies in aerial firefighting capacity. Despite this, the Republic of Cyprus never responded to this offer and instead proceeded with the direct lease of two helicopters from Helis Company.
The second letter, dated 31 July, followed an investigative report by Brief published on 27 July. In this report, Brief revealed that the authorities ignored the court's annulment of the contract and leased two helicopters directly from Helis Company during ongoing legal proceedings. The report also contained warnings from Air Taurus and its legal representatives about potential dangers should Helis helicopters be deployed.
The most pressing issue for the AO is why these helicopters were grounded at Paphos Airport when the Limassol wildfire broke out. The AO has requested detailed information about the procedure followed for awarding the contract directly to the company.
As of August 2025, there is no publicly available information about an Audit Office probe into the specific helicopter lease issue involving Helis Company and Cyprus’s Ministry of Defence. If this is a recent or ongoing investigation, more detailed and direct sources such as Cyprus government releases, local news, or dedicated defence audit reports would be required for accurate details.
Once the Audit Office receives all relevant documents and correspondence from the Ministry of Defence, it will prepare a special report to be made public. The report is expected to shed light on the controversial direct lease of helicopters and the potential shortcomings in the procurement process.
- The controversy over the direct lease of firefighting helicopters in Cyprus extended to Paphos Airport, where the Audit Office (AO) is investigating why certain helicopters were grounded during the Limassol wildfire.
- The AO's investigation follows the annulment of a contract by the Administrative Court and reports suggesting that essential documents were overlooked in the awarding process, which involved the Ministry of Defence and Helis Company.
- The public will likely gain insight into the policy-and-legislation surrounding the lease of these helicopters, as well as the politics and general news surrounding the wildfire incident, once the Audit Office releases its special report.
