Father in despair after son’s mystery accident

The father of a British visitor, who went on life support in Cyprus following an unexplained road incident, is raising questions over a police investigation into his son’s motorcycle accident last week.

Police said they were investigating an apparent road collision in Paralimni which took place last Thursday, when a 31-year-old male was spotted seriously injured underneath a motorcycle just before midnight.

The visitor, described as a British national, went on life support in Nicosia General Hospital after doctors said he had had sustained a broken skull, internal bleeding around the brain, as well as rib and bone fractures.

Conditions surrounding the accident were not immediately clear. 

But the visitor’s father, who was quoted in local media on Tuesday, raised doubts over the investigation, claiming the family was misled by officers and even suggesting the accident scene was not immediately secured.

According to the Greek-language network SigmaLive, the father of the injured man said his son who came to Cyprus to attend a wedding “almost got killed and has yet to regain consciousness.”

“Why was the scene of the accident not cordoned off given the injuries he had sustained?” he asked.

Police told Knews previously there was indeed a delay until morning due to late night darkness but maintained on Tuesday that the scene had been both cordoned off and secured overnight until a full investigation could take place in daylight.

The dad went on to suggest that police knew about a collision including his son’s name but claimed he was given “unreliable and false information.”

“The officer stated that my son was not wearing a helmet and that he was riding a four-wheel motorcycle. He then said there was no ongoing investigation,” the father was quoted as saying. 

Police previously said they were unable to talk to the son because he was unconscious. An official report did not describe the case as a road accident under investigation but stated that the man had a motorcycle helmet.

Additional reports at the time said another individual could have been a potential witness but police did not immediately confirm the report.

“Any investigation ought to have begun with taking statements. Two people were supposed to give statements, my son and one woman,” the father told SigmaLive.

According to the father, police would not share with him any information about the woman or her alleged role in the incident.

SigmaLive said police officers have reportedly taken a number of statements in the case.

But the dad also went on to suggest that police officers were rude to family members who were trying to get information about the incident.

“We couldn’t go inside the station and they told us from the window to go and search for the collision site by ourselves,” the father said.

The family said they were deeply grateful to hospital staff and thanked local media for looking into the story as well as publishing photos of the incident.

Photos posted last week showed a damaged moped but police did not provide the exact cubic capacity.

“The moped can give answers,” the dad said, adding “where is the moped now?”

“Can the police explain why such a serious accident is not being investigated?” the father asked.

“Is this the kind of experience and police treatment of British tourists in Cyprus?” the father also wondered.

A police spokesperson was not immediately available to make a comment in response to the SigmaLive story but told Knews the case was under investigation.