Decomposed body thought to be missing German tourist

By Charlie Charalambous

A BADLY decomposed body discovered by police is believed to be that of a 74- year-old German tourist reported missing from his Protaras hotel since April.

Police said yesterday that the body they found near the Paralimni coast, in a stream bed on Thursday night, was that of German tourist Oscar Werner Mayr from Ingolstadt.

Found at the scene was a shoulder bag, hat and walking stick.

“We believe the body belongs to the German tourist who went missing, but we can’t be absolutely sure until the DNA results,” Famagusta deputy police chief Lefteris Solomou said yesterday.

Mayr was reported missing to police on May 2 by the manager of the Sunrise Hotel in the popular tourist resort of Protaras.

The manager became suspicious when Mayr did not return to the hotel. He was last seen on April 30 at around 11.30pm and his belongings in the hotel room were untouched.

He had arrived alone on the island 24 hours before he went missing.

Police discovered the body in the gully after they were alerted by another German tourist.

State pathologist Sophocles Sophocleous examined the scene on Thursday and said that at first sight there appeared to be no sign of foul play.

However, Sophocleous said yesterday he could not ascertain the cause of death because the body was practically a skeleton and had no organs.

“I took some x-rays which showed no breaks or fractures… there are no suspicious circumstances,” said Sophocleous.

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