Overview
- Multiple Athens Flight Information Region frequencies were overwhelmed by continuous noise on Jan. 4, halting departures and diverting arrivals until service was restored near 5 p.m. local time.
- A Transport Ministry expert committee reported no indication of a cyberattack or malicious interference and traced the outage to a loss of synchronization that produced “digital noise.”
- The probe found the civil aviation voice network and supporting telecommunications rely on outdated, manufacturer-unsupported technology that lacks reliable operational guarantees.
- Recommendations include accelerating migration to Voice over IP, procuring a new voice and radio system with nearly 500 transceivers, and establishing a coordinated rapid-response mechanism with telecom providers.
- The Athens Public Prosecutor has launched a preliminary investigation into possible dangerous interference, while officials rated the safety impact low and confirmed systems are back in operation.