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Commander of the HCAA resigned after the blackout in the Athens FIR

Published January 14, 2026, 19:26
Commander of the HCAA resigned after the blackout in the Athens FIR

The commander of the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA), Giorgos Saounatsos, resigned after the blackout incident in the Athens FIR. His resignation was accepted by the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Christos Dimas. Deputy Commander of Aeronautical Navigation, Giorgos Vagenas, will temporarily assume the duties of commander. The incident, classified as low risk, was due to “digital noise” caused by desynchronization in various systems. The report found no issue of air safety or cyberattack. Minister Dimas emphasized that the systems are old but functional, and a comprehensive upgrade plan is underway in collaboration with the European Commission and Eurocontrol.