I find the above journo report and it's "reliable sources" totally ludicrous.
Some quotes from it:
"The company says it has conducted “extensive tests” showing it would be virtually impossible for a Boeing 737 to take off with the airflow valve at 14 degrees from the fully closed position, as Tsolakis’ findings contend."
How did Helios conduct these tests? Did they place the outflow to manual and opened it only 14degrees and took off with pax onboard many times ???
"Frustratingly, the Tsolakis report cannot verify or disprove whether the warning horns were on throughout the flight. The Cockpit Voice Recorder, which was badly damaged, only contained data from the last 30 minutes".
Of course it does. Not only on the narrative of the report but also on the FDR printouts that prove that the horn was on and was heard on CVR on the last 30min, until the aircraft altitude dropped below 10'000 (obviously).
“There are no circuit breakers for equipment cooling. There’s no question of resetting it, such as by pulling a fuse."
I don't know what Capt. Merten was trying to achieve with the CBs. But THERE ARE CBs for Equip Cooling, despite the "reliable source's" quotes. They are indeed behind the Captain's seat on the -300 (P18-3, A-B-C-B-E-F)
About the fire that started later.
There is plenty of info on the report about what happened. After the first fire was tackled, the ground force of fire engines did not get there on time because a fire engine overturned on the only narrow road to the site. Then, as it happens hundreds of times in forest fires, it was relighted by the strong winds. There was no need of aircraft fuel. There was plenty of fuel in the form of bushes, dry grass and trees which are ready to catch fire in mid August in Greece.
I am ready to question the Tsolakis report, but PLEASE give me something more solid that the journo's hollow report.