Island bids farewell to Cypriot victims of Greek rail disaster

The remains of two young Cypriots who perished in Greece’s deadly rail disaster arrived on the island on Sunday, with both families of the victims requesting a media blackout as they bid farewell to their children.

A flight from Thessaloniki arrived Sunday afternoon at Larnaca International Airport, carrying the remains of Greek Cypriot college students Kyprianos Papaioannou from Avgorou and Anastasia Adamidou from Paphos, both of whom were among the dozens of victims killed in a train collision in central Greece last week.

Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos and Social Welfare Deputy Minister Marilena Evangelou were at the old terminal in Larnaca to oversee the arrival of the remains, which had been identified through DNA.

Kombos said their presence at the airport was a “small token of support” by the state.

“The State stands by the families and relatives of the needlessly departed victims, we stand by in every way and means at our disposal,” the foreign minister said.

Both families have asked for a media blackout during the funeral services and the burial rituals, which are to be held separately in the native towns of the two victims.

A three-day mourning period declared by President Nikos Christodoulides continues until Monday afternoon when both burials will have taken place, while the newly-elected leader has also ordered the state to cover all repatriation and funeral costs.