A British man has been stabbed to death in the town of Ayia Napa, south-east Cyprus. The 22-year-old, named as George Low, died from a stab wound to the neck at the holiday resort.
Police in Cyprus said there had been a knife attack in which another Briton, also 22, was wounded. Famagusta’s district assistant police chief, Georgios Economou, said the two Britons were attacked in the early hours of Sunday while they were walking down a busy street in the town, shortly after getting into a shoving match with one person.
The second victim suffered four stab wounds to his back that were not thought to be life threatening. There was no suspicion that the attack was related to terrorism, said police.
According to witness accounts there were two assailants. They appeared to be foreign nationals and were still being sought. The police chief said investigators have been able to track some of the suspects’ movements through closed-circuit television cameras and that authorities have been alerted at all airports, ports and crossing points to be on the look-out for the suspects.
Economou said the two victims had worked over the previous two years at bars and clubs in Ayia Napa. The wounded Briton told investigators that he and Low had, on this occasion, returned to the resort for a holiday.
Tributes were posted on social media to Low, who lived in Dartford, Kent. Jason Woods, who lives in Cyprus wrote on Facebook: “Words can’t describe what you meant to me. I was lucky to have you as a brother and I am truly heartbroken by this tragedy!! Just looking back at the first time we met and I was lucky enough to meet one of the best guys in my life.” He added: “Love you so much. RIP George Low.”
Niamh Rose wrote: “Still struggling to process this, rest in peace George Low you’ve touched the lives of so many my thoughts go out to your family.”
Another friend, Bradley Bowden, whose Facebook account notes that he also lives in Ayia Napa, said: “[George is] definitely up there with one of the best humans I’ve met. He didn’t care about anything other than making his mates laugh. Gonna miss your Harry Potter impressions, screaming at bins/walls/people. You taught me the Napa way my friend.”
A Go Fund Me page has been set up to raise funds for the repatriation of Low’s body and his funeral. More than £3,000 has been raised so far. The page reads: “We lost a true legend, let’s get him home and give him the send off he deserves.” One donator, Marina Zapp, posted: “Sleep tight Gorgeous George.”
A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: “We are providing support to the family of a British national who sadly died in Cyprus on 14 August and will remain in contact with the local authorities who are investigating.”
