Incident Details

Paramotor pilot crashed on Parasolia beach in Kiti, striking rocks and dying instantly. A friend flying nearby in another paramotor witnessed the incident and reported seeing the pilot lose altitude. The witness suggested that part of the parachute may not have opened correctly. Both the police and Cyprus Air Accident and Incident Investigation Board are investigating the incident.

Investigation ongoing. Possible causes being examined include: technical defects with the paraglider, adverse wind conditions in the area, or other unidentified factors. Witness reported part of parachute may not have opened correctly.

Pilot died instantly from multiple injuries to body and vital organs, confirmed by post-mortem examination at Nicosia General Hospital.

31 years old from Nicosia

Two separate investigations are under way into the fatal crash of a paramotor glider in Kiti, Larnaca district, which killed 31-year-old Antonis Kourras from Nicosia. Police and the Cyprus Air Accident and Incident Investigation Board are examining the circumstances of Thursday morning's crash, when the glider struck a rock on a beach known as "Parasolia," killing the pilot instantly. A friend of the victim, who was flying nearby with another glider, told police he saw Kourras lose altitude and suggested that part of the parachute may not have opened correctly. The board has taken possession of the equipment and is considering several scenarios, including possible technical defects or adverse wind conditions. Board president Antonis Antoniou said a preliminary inspection of the glider has been carried out, but further testing is needed. "There could be an issue with the paraglider, there could have been a problem with the wind in that area, or there could be another factor we are trying to identify," he told CNA. He said the investigation would take weeks and would include interviews with witnesses and checks on the glider's fabric, lines and safety mechanisms. Authorities are also seeking to determine where the two young men obtained their gliders. According to Antoniou, initial information indicates they owned the equipment, though investigators will verify whether it was legally imported. A post-mortem examination conducted at Nicosia General Hospital confirmed that Kourras died from multiple injuries to his body and vital organs. This is the third paramotor accident in Cyprus in the past five years. Previous incidents in 2020 and 2021 in Nicosia and Larnaca left pilots injured. Antoniou said the sport carries inherent risks due to its reliance on wind conditions. "If something goes wrong, an accident can happen easily," he said, stressing that pilots must follow legislation on designated flying zones, undergo training, inspect their equipment and respect safe flying times.