Two locals crushed to death in farming accident

Police are investigating a labor accident in rural Paphos after two men on Monday were crushed to death when a combine harvester overturned on an uphill dirt road in Stroumbi.

Two Greek Cypriot friends, 62-year-old firefighter Panicos Ioannou from Stroumbi and 53-year-old farmer Nicos Demosthenous from Ineia, were found dead on Monday after a local farmer spotted an overturned harvester on his way home.

Reports said a combine harvester driven by Demosthenous overturned on an uphill dirt road as the farmer was attempting to drive the vehicle out of a plot of sloped land.

Ioannou, who was a firefighter on leave before retirement, was rushed to the Emergency Room at Paphos General Hospital where doctors pronounced him dead on arrival.

Demosthenous was pulled out of the wreckage by firefighters, with reports saying both men died at the scene.

Police said they were investigating a work-related accident while it was not immediately clear whether the incident was caused by human error or technical failure.

Locals reportedly said the driver of the combine harvester was familiar with the area and had operated the machine at that location in the past.

Officials said they were not in a position to confirm whether Ioannou was riding on the harvester when the machine overturned.

The incident was estimated to have taken place in the afternoon around 3pm after the two men had finished harvesting wheat on land owned by Ioannou.