Ankara to send firefighting aircraft to Israel in attempt to extinguish raging blaze; Greece, Cyprus, Spain also lend support.
Turkish officials announced Thursday that Turkey has offered to send Israel two firefighting aircraft to help control the huge blaze was continuing to spread through northern Israel.
Despite tensions between the Jerusalem and Ankara Turkey decided to offer help along with European countries such as Greece, Spain and Cyprus.
As fires raged in the Carmel mountains on Thursday, 40 prison wardens en route to the Damon Prison burned to death in a bus caught up in the blaze .
The wardens were meant to assist in evacuating some 500 prisoners from the facility, situated near Kibbutz Beit Oren. Their vehicle was engulfed in fast moving flames which had spread to the narrow mountain road linking Atlit to Kibbutz Bet Oren.
Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman asked ambassadors in the United States, Europe and Jordan to seek assistance in overcoming the blaze.