The death of 31-year-old Antonis Kourras, who was killed in a paragliding accident in Kiti on Thursday morning, was caused by multiple injuries to the body and vital organs, a post-mortem examination has confirmed.
The autopsy was carried out on Friday at Nicosia general hospital by state forensic pathologists Angeliki Papetta and Orthodoxos Orthodoxou.
Kourras, from the village of Anayia in Nicosia, died after losing control of his motorised paraglider while flying at low altitude over the sea in Kiti’s Parasolia area.
He crashed onto rocks near the shore and was pronounced dead at the scene by ambulance crews.
Officers from Kiti police station and members of the aircraft accident and incident investigation board (AAIIB) were at the site and have since launched parallel inquiries into the circumstances of the accident.
AAIIB chairman and head of the investigation board, Antonis Antoniou, said a preliminary inspection had already been carried out on the glider. “There may or may not have been a problem with the machine, or the accident could have been linked to the strong winds in the area at the time” he said.
“It is also possible there was another factor, which we are trying to identify. The investigation will take some time, as we will be examining various parameters and gathering information from witnesses.”
He stressed that paragliding and paramotoring carry inherent risks. “Essentially, the pilot relies on the wind, and if something goes wrong, an accident can easily happen. In recent years, interest in the sport has rocketed, which makes it all the more important that they follow regulations – using approved areas, undergoing proper training, checking their equipment and being mindful of weather conditions.”
Police spokesman Spyros Chrysostomou said investigators would also be taking a statement from the man who was flying alongside Kourras at the time of the accident.
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