CYPRUS: Slovakia PM cuts official visit short after deadly bus accident

Slovak Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini cut his official visit to Cyprus short due to a tragic traffic accident in Slovakia which resulted in the death of at least 13 people.

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A lorry carrying gravel collided with a passenger bus, killing 13 people in western Slovakia, near the city of Nitra, 90 km from the capital, Bratislava. Around 20 people were injured.

Pellegrini was due on Thursday to be received by Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and House of Representatives speaker Demetris Syllouris during his official visit to the island.

In a message on Twitter, Pellegrini said he would cancel his visit to Cyprus and return to Slovakia.

“I feel deep sorrow for all the victims and express my sincere condolences to all the survivors,” he wrote. 

Anastasiades tweeted “deep condolences to the friendly people of Slovakia and to the families of all those who died at the tragic Nitra accident.”

“We wish and pray for the speedy recovery of the injured ones,” he adds.

The Cyprus Foreign Ministry said: “Heart breaking news from Slovakia where an accident involving a bus near Nitra has resulted in numerous fatalities, including children, and many more injured. Sincere condolences to and all affected.”

The accident was the deadliest in the country since 2009, when a train crashed into a bus and killed 12 people.