road worker — A 70-year-old road worker has tragically lost his life after being struck by a vehicle on the Nicosia-Limassol motorway. Savvas Ioannou, from Paphos, was killed on Thursday night while standing directly behind a large illuminated flashing arrow sign.
- A post-mortem examination on Ioannou's body is scheduled for today, as authorities continue to gather information regarding this heartbreaking event.
The incident occurred at approximately 7:25pm as Ioannou was placing cones to close the right lane near the village of Moni. A car driven by a 37-year-old man collided with the arrow sign, which was mounted on a light truck, propelling Ioannou into the central reservation ditch.
Four of Ioannou’s colleagues witnessed the accident and are set to provide statements to Limassol traffic police. Investigators noted the lack of braking marks at the scene, raising questions about the driver’s awareness prior to the collision.
According to reports, the driver, who was returning home from work in Larnaca, claimed he did not notice the road signs or the cones at the site. He sustained minor injuries and was taken to a private hospital for treatment. Following the incident, he was arrested and is currently being held in custody at Limassol CID. Alcohol and drug tests returned negative results.
At the scene, Limassol traffic police chief Marios Charalambous confirmed that appropriate signage was in place and that witnesses affirmed the flashing arrow was operational at the time of the incident. However, the absence of street lighting on that stretch of road may have contributed to the driver’s limited visibility.
Investigators are employing drone technology to photograph the scene, and a reconstruction of the accident is anticipated. Meanwhile, the Department of Labour Inspection is conducting a parallel investigation to determine if all necessary safety measures were adhered to, given the circumstances of the workplace accident.
A post-mortem examination on Ioannou’s body is scheduled for today, as authorities continue to gather information regarding this heartbreaking event.
