From 24 July to 2 August, Croatian military firefighting pilots, flight technicians and aircraft technicians took part in firefighting operations in France, where they worked alongside their French counterparts in the Bordeaux, Salernes and Biscarrosse areas, as well as east of Marseille, the Defence Ministry said.
"Every mission brings certain challenges, and this one was particularly challenging. It was astonishing to see the wildfire west of Bordeaux – 42,000 hectares had burned, an area four times larger than the city of Paris. It was difficult to see burned homes, damaged industrial facilities and destroyed vineyards," said Major Ivan Dukić, captain of the Canadair crew, describing the scale of the fires in France.
He also stressed the importance of the Croatian deployment to France.
"It was a great honour to work with our French colleagues, exchange knowledge and experience, and help France as a team, as a group and as a squadron, just as we provide support every summer and protect Croatia," he said.
During their mission in France, Croatian military pilots completed 225 flights, logged 51.40 flight hours and dropped 1,224 tonnes of water. The deployment was carried out as part of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism's RescEU programme.
Through their experience, knowledge and capabilities, Croatian Air Force personnel made a valuable contribution to firefighting efforts and the protection of people, the ministry said.