USS Jason Dunham makes first visit to Cyprus

Limassol, Cyprus. The US Navy destroyer USS Jason Dunham arrived at Limassol port on Monday for “crew rest and resupply”, according to the US embassy in Nicosia. The visit is the vessel’s first to Cyprus.

First Cyprus visit

The US embassy said the destroyer was named after Medal of Honour recipient Jason L Dunham and thanked Cyprus for its “hospitality and partnership”.

Dunham was posthumously awarded the US Medal of Honour after using his helmet and body to cover a live grenade during an attack on his unit while on patrol in Husaybah, Iraq, near the Syrian border, in 2004. He died eight days later.

US aircraft at Larnaca

The destroyer’s arrival came two days after a US Air Force Boeing C-40 Clipper jet, using the callsign “Spar19”, landed at Larnaca airport from Cairo.

The aircraft and callsign are typically used to transport senior US administration officials, usually members of Congress or the cabinet. Neither the Cypriot nor US government announced who was on board.

The Cyprus Mail contacted both governments for information regarding the flight’s passengers. The aircraft is believed to have since departed.

Egypt-CIA meeting

On Sunday evening, Egyptian President Abdell Fattah El-Sisi announced that he had met CIA chief John Ratcliffe, possibly providing an indication of who may have been aboard the flight.

Following the meeting, Sisi’s spokesman Mohamed El-Shennawy said discussions focused on ways to strengthen strategic relations between Egypt and the United States.

El-Shennawy said Sisi expressed Egypt’s support for efforts to reach a comprehensive agreement resolving the Iranian crisis, which he said would help restore regional security and stability and ensure freedom of international navigation.

Sisi also reaffirmed Egypt’s support for the security and sovereignty of Arab countries and its rejection of aggression against them, El-Shennawy said.