Lost man found in dense bush after emergency call in Paphos
Police in Paphos were called into action on Thursday evening after a foreign man phoned the emergency number 112 asking for help, but could not say exactly where he was.
According to assistant police director for operations in Paphos, Michalis Nikolaou, the call came in at 7:56pm on August 1. The man, speaking broken English, said he had fallen in thick bushes and was unable to move due to a health issue. He believed he was in the coastal area of Yeroskipou, but could not give a clear location.
Police officers immediately began searching along the coastline from Geroskipou westward. However, the search brought no results at first.
Nikolaou said that based on the man’s vague description of the area during follow-up calls, supported by a translator, officers suspected he might be at the beach area known as “Vrexi” in Chloraka.
At 9:20pm, police finally found the man. He was trapped in thick vegetation but was conscious. Officers from the Paphos Crime Prevention Unit helped free him safely.
He was identified as a 61-year-old foreign visitor to Cyprus.
An ambulance took him to the accident and emergency department of Paphos general hospital. He was given first aid and later discharged.
Authorities have not released the man’s nationality. It remains unclear how he ended up in the area alone or how long he had been stuck.
The incident highlights the difficulties that can arise in emergencies involving language barriers and poor location details. Police said the quick response and use of a translator were key to locating the man safely.