A 27-year-old commando who had jumped to sea from helicopter during training exercise at a height of about 20 metres rather then what should have been eight metres died in hospital late on Wednesday.
Special forces contract soldier Panayiotis Yiannios was critically injured on Monday and the Ministry of Defence has already ordered an investigation into the circumstances of the accident which has shocked society.
Yiannios had been intubated and placed in a medically induced coma after suffering brain swelling and spine fractures during the accident in Lara area in Akamas.
An army spokesman said the soldier was rescued by a boat according to the scenario of the exercise but was then found to be unconscious.
However, press reports dispute that saying the soldier actually jumped from the wrong height straight into the boat. And that he had gone incorrectly in legs first – which is how the back and perhaps the head were hit.
The young man was first taken to the accidents and emergency department at Paphos general hospital but due to the seriousness of his condition, he was later transferred to Nicosia general hospital.
