British soldier falls from Ledra Palace balcony

A YOUNG British soldier sustained serious head injuries after a fall from a first-floor balcony at the UN-controlled Ledra Palace Hotel on Nicosia’s Green Line.

The unnamed soldier based at the hotel, which houses Unficyp’s 300-plus British contingent, accidentally fell from the balcony at around 11.20pm on Wednesday.

According to an Unficyp announcement, the solider sustained serious head injuries and was operated upon at the Nicosia General Hospital.

Unficyp spokesman Paul Kolken said yesterday the latest information he had was that the soldier was in stable condition.

A UN doctor is also understood to be at the hospital to monitor his progress.

“An investigation is under way,” Kolken said. The investigation is being carried out by UN Military Police.

A spokesman for the British contingent said there had been witnesses to the accident.

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