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  [PHOTO STORY|ON STRIKE] UNITED STATES: The ubiquitous burn barrel, stamped with "IAM" for International Association of Machinists, smokes as Boeing Co. Machinists picket Monday, Sept. 29, 2008, at a gate to Boeing's giant production plant in Everett, Washington. The aircraft assembly workers began their strike against Boeing on September 6. The union represents about 25,000 Boeing production workers in the Puget Sound area, 1,500 in the Portland, Oregon area and about 750 in Wichita, Kansas. Photo credit: AP Photo/Elaine Thompson

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ATHENS, GREECE: Two planes were forced to circle over a Greek island awaiting permission to land on Monday (September 29th) after an air traffic controller overslept and was late for work, Greece's civil aviation authority said.

The Transport Ministry launch a probe into the incident at the airport in the island of Lesbos that delayed a domestic flight from Athens and a charter from Slovakia, the YPA aviation agency said.

The air traffic controller told his bosses that his mobile phone alarm had broken down, causing his tardiness, according to Greece's Net television.

While the planes circled over the island, the airport director called one the controller's colleagues. After waiting 30 minutes, the two aircraft landed safely, YPA said.

The European Commission told Greece in September to improve its oversight of airport safety to conform with EU rules or face action before the European Court of Justice.