Autopsy shows Greek soldier died of heart attack

THE AUTOPSY on the body of the 19-year-old soldier, Themistokles Yiannakakis, serving in the Greek contingent in Cyprus (ELYK), showed the cause of death was an acute heart attack.

Yiannakakis died suddenly on Tuesday morning just before a scheduled military training at Asgata in Limassol.

“Although there should have been symptoms that indicated the state of his health, the 19-year-old had not previously complained that he did not feel well,” said Nikolas Charalambous, the medical coroner who performed the autopsy.

The autopsy’s findings were confirmed by a medical coroner from Greece, who examined the body on behalf of the Yiannakakis family. Despite these initial findings, however, the exact cause of death is expected to be determined by the toxicology and pathology test findings. Specifically, these tests will indicate whether the 19-year-old had consumed any substances that may have impaired his health, particularly as he had gone out the night before his death.

Yiannakakis reportedly suffered from epilepsy, which raises serious questions on whether he should have been serving in the special forces.

The 19-year-old’s parents arrived yesterday from Thessaloniki, to return his body to Greece.