Burned body found in Larnaca

Police are investigating the death of an unidentified male whose burned body was spotted in an open field in Larnaca on Sunday evening.

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According to Cyprus News Agency, the fire department was notified shortly after 6pm regarding a fire in a field in Softades, Kivisili village in Larnaca district.

When fire fighters rushed to the scene to extinguish the fire, they became aware of a burned and tied-up corpse, according to CNA.

Earlier reports by CNA had said a concerned citizen spotted a fire near a hay ball in an open field, some 200 metres from the sea, and dialed the emergency number to report it. He then reportedly stepped off his vehicle to assess the scale of the fire. As he was getting closer the hay ball, the man realized there was a bound corpse and immediately called the police.

Additional media reports said the fire had been spotted by drivers along the Zygi – Kivisili road.

Fire fighters extinguished the fire while crime investigators and local police officers rushed to the scene, which was sealed off as a possible crime scene.

State forensic pathologist Sofocles Sofocleous conducted an autopsy on site while he was joined by colleagues Nicholas Charalambous and Angeliki Papetta.

Nothing ruled out

Larnaca police spokesperson Charalambos Zachariou said later in the evening that it was “too premature to say anything” about the case, adding that nothing had been ruled out.

“I can only confirm that the body was found under suspicious circumstances,” Zachariou said.

Asked by reporters whether a suspicious vehicle was located which possibly could have transported the dead body to the field, Zachariou said “at this stage we cannot say anything beyond what I have already stated.”

According to local media, police were also going through a list of missing persons in connection with the case.