A terrible weekend on the roads of Cyprus has led to two deaths and new worries about road safety. Two separate accidents happened just hours apart, killing a young motorcyclist and a teenage girl. The police are now investigating both crashes, and local communities are very sad about the sudden loss of young lives.
The first accident happened on a Friday morning on the old road between Dromolaxia and Larnaca. A 28-year-old Ukrainian man, Artem Fomichov, was riding his motorcycle when he crashed into the side of a trailer. The trailer was being pulled by a truck driven by a 67-year-old man, who was turning right. Police say the truck driver’s turn was legal. The crash caused very serious internal injuries to the motorcyclist. He had emergency surgery but sadly died later that day in the hospital.
The second accident occurred early on Saturday on the Limassol to Nicosia highway. A 22-year-old man was driving a car with four passengers. As he entered the highway, he lost control of the vehicle. The car hit a barrier in the middle of the road and flipped over. A 17-year-old girl, Aliki Nicolaou, was in the back seat and died at the scene. The other four people in the car, including the driver, only had minor injuries. Police tested the driver and think he had been drinking alcohol. He was arrested because of this.
These two sad events have started an important conversation in Cyprus about being careful on the roads. They remind everyone that life is fragile and that it is very important to always drive safely, without alcohol, and to pay full attention.