Limassol biker dies in wild crash

A local biker was killed in Limassol on Saturday after he lost control of his motorcycle and went flying into the air, with witnesses saying he was popping wheelies before the crash and police not ruling out dangerous motorist behavior.

According to local media, 41-year-old Marinos Anastasiou from Trachoni was riding a high-powered motorcycle northbound on Moni-Pyrgos road in Limassol district on Saturday afternoon, when he got involved in a fatal accident around 2:30pm.

An official police report said the biker lost control of the motorcycle under circumstances still pending investigation and struck a wire fence.

But additional reports said Anastasiou was thrown into the air and slammed into welded wire fencing and then hit an outer wall of a residence.

The biker was rushed to the Emergency Room at Limassol General Hospital where doctors on duty pronounced him dead on arrival.

Local media said an eye witness saw a person being thrown into the air some 1.5 meters above ground and hitting a post and then an outer wall of a residence.

“It was a very loud noise, definitely with high speed,” the witness said.

Another witness, according to local media, said the biker had overtaken another vehicle during a high speed wheelie stunt some 200 meters away from the crash scene.

Asked to comment on high speed as a possible factor, Limassol traffic police director Michael Michail said the investigation was at a preliminary stage.

Reporters also asked Michail to comment on additional information about the motorcycle having worn tires and no license plates.

“Bikers are vulnerable users of the road network and ought to wear protective helmet and safety attire, and the motorcycle needs to be in good working condition,” Michail said.

Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos took to Twitter following the incident, saying he would call the Road Safety Council to an emergency meeting specifically on safety for motorcycle riders.

Karousos, who vowed to push for tough measures on a host of issues including road safety, said he was “particularly concerned over repeated road accidents.”

“We will present proposals already prepared on this specific issue,” Karousos said.