A 25-year-old British tourist was arrested as a suspect in the hit and run fatal accident in Ayia Napa that cost the life of 46-year-old Camilla Christina Pamdahl from Sweden.
The 25-year-old man was the driver of a buggy which had hit the woman at a pedestrian crossing on Nisi Avenue in Ayia Napa.
The accident happened on Wednesday afternoon, with the driver initially abandoning the site on foot leaving behind the rental buggy he was driving.
The man was identified by investigating police officers who had requested an arrest warrant.
An alcotest was carried out with a reading of 44 μg, almost five times over the legal limit of 9μg. He also tested positive for cannabis.
Investigations into the accident are ongoing, carried out by Famagusta police. The driver is expected to appear in court later Thursday to be remanded in custody.
The road death comes as Cyprus aims to raise road safety awareness through the European Roads Policing Network (ROADPOL).
Police said according to data for 2017 – 2021, every year, 50 people lose their lives in road accidents, while 308 suffer serious injuries.
Moreover, 28% of fatalities concern young people up to 25, while 70% of fatal accidents occur on urban roads.
Justice Minister Stephie Drakou said road safety constitutes one of the major issues to be addressed by the European family.
“The number of fatalities and injuries from road collisions remains extremely high, which is a motive for governments to develop optimum practices already implemented in other states.”
Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos said Cyprus is solely dependent on road transport as an island-state.
“Therefore, road safety is at the centre of our efforts.”
Following the initial reduction to 60 fatalities in 2005 from 130 annual deaths in the nineties, from 2010 to 2021, fatalities from road accidents were limited to 50 deaths per annum.
Injuries from road accidents between 2010-2020 in Cyprus have been reduced by 76%.
Cyprus has adopted the European target of a 50% reduction in road fatalities and a 50% reduction in serious injuries by 2030.
