French female sailor falls to her death

Cypriot police are investigating the death of a young woman, who was serving in the French Navy, following reports that she fell from the fifth floor of a Limassol hotel.

According to local media, a 19-year-old woman fell to her death on Monday early morning, around 2:30am, moments after she was spotted hanging outside a hotel room balcony on the fifth floor.

Initial reports said the woman was spotted by another female, who was near the balcony but out of reach. The eye witness reportedly then called for hotel security.

A hotel security guard rushed upstairs and gained entry into the room in question but arrived too late, with reports saying the woman had already fallen onto a balcony on the first floor.

The 19-year-old woman was killed instantly while a state forensic pathologist was also called out to the scene. Preliminary reports said the incident was the result of an accident.

The French consul also visited the scene, along with a French captain, with local media saying the woman was in Cyprus while serving on a battle group vessel that accompanied the Charles De Gaulle aircraft carrier.

It was not fully clear whether the woman was a sailor in the French Navy or served in a different capacity.

Unconfirmed reports said the woman had gone out for a night on the town and returned to her hotel with other French Navy officers. Media sources said the woman was thought to have consumed large amounts of alcohol.

Yermasoyia police said they were investigating the incident.