“May 23, 2006. Squadron Leader Kostas Iliakis, defending our national airspace with self-sacrifice, falls for his homeland near Karpathos. The national independence and integrity of Greece is non-negotiable. Immortal!”.

This is what the Minister of National Defense Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos wrote on his personal twitter account on the occasion of the 17th anniversary of the fatal wounding of squadron leader Kostas Iliakis, during the performance of duty, near Karpathos, completing his post with the photo of the squadron leader.

The head of GEETHA, General Konstantinos Floros, for his part, wrote:

“Squadron (I) KONSTANTINOS ILIAKIS

He fell for Faith & Country!

Medicine the memory of your loss, nama & balm your way of life and heroism

For altars & hearths!

We follow this path

For the life of Greece & the Nation!

Immortal eternal Icarus of Crete”.

And he completed his post with 3 Greek flags and a photo of the monument that has been erected in Karpathos.

Squadron Leader (I) Konstantinos Iliakis fell in the line of duty on July 23, 2006 when, while recognizing a formation of Turkish aircraft, which had entered the Greek FIR without permission, one of the Turkish aircraft, in violation of international safety rules, executed a dangerous maneuver and collided with his aircraft, causing him to fall and fatally injure him, near Karpathos.