A C-130 aircraft of the Greek Air Force carrying 20 Greeks , 19 foreign nationals and 6 dogs flew directly from Sudan’s capital Khartoum to Athens and landed at Elefsina Air Force base in western Attica late on Thursday.
Together with the human evacuees were also six dogs.
A Greek couple living in Khartoum wanted to be evacuated from the county torn by civil war but it vehemently refused to leave their four-legged companions behind.
Their home and vehicle were bombed, they were located 1 km away from the heart of the war zone.
The family adamantly refused to give up their animals even at risk of their own lives.
That was not an easy task. However, mission “evacuate the dogs” activated the Greek C-130 crew and the accompanying commandos, the Honorary Consul in Sudan, the Greek Ambassador in Egypt, the Undersecretary of National Defense and the Secretariat for the Protection of Companion Animals in Athens and even the Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who gave the green light for the evacuation also of the dogs.
A local Sudanese sheikh with excellent ties to the Greek community rushed to contribute to the mission and transport with cars the couple and their dogs and another Greek to the airport of Khartoum.
According to information obtained by KTG, the dogs were initially in packed 3 cages that did not fit into the transport car, though. The solution was to leave the cages, pack the car with humans and dogs and ultimately reach the airport and the C-130 in safety.
They all landed in Athens Thursday night.
PM Mitsotakis went to the airport to welcome the evacuated humans and their furry companions.
The Animals Protection Secretary contributed with a special vehicle to transport the family and the dogs to a safe accommodation in the Greek capital.
A happy end for people who consider their pets as integral members of their family even in the most tragic and difficult moments.
Pictures via journalist & animal activists stamatinastamatakou
I am a British Marine who assisted this Greek family and their dogs when they arrived at the airfield. I actually had 3 of the dogs on my lap as we escorted them to the Greek plane. I would be so grateful if you could pass this onto the dog owners and I’m glad they got home safe and sound.