Athens Olympics Security Zeppelin Starts Test Flights Tuesday

ATHENS, July 19 (AFP) - A hi-tech zeppelin to keep watch over the Athens Olympics will start test flights above the Greek capital Tuesday, according to Greek police.
The 61-metre (200-foot) long ship, equipped with high-resolution cameras and filled with 6,000 cubic metres (215,000 cubic feet) of helium, is to patrol the Athens sky 16 hours a day during the August 13-29 Games, from an altitude of 1,200 to 3,400 metres. Anti-chemical detectors are also part of its fitout.
The zepplin, leased from Swiss company "Skyship," arrived in Athens on July 11 after a week-long journey from Lucerne, Switzerland.
Security zeppelins also flew in the Barcelona 1992 and the Atlanta 1996 Olympics.
Hundreds of security cameras scattered throughout Athens are to feed image and sound to Olympic security command centre on the ground.