Excavations for 1974 missing persons continue across Cyprus

Excavations are currently underway at multiple sites in Cyprus, including Kato Deryneia, Ayios Memnonas, Karavas, Ambelikou, Lapithos, Syrianochori, Galateia in Karpasia, and Strovolos, as part of the search for individuals missing since 1974. Leonidas Pantelides, the Greek Cypriot representative to the Committee on Missing Persons, reported the discovery of bones in military clothing inside a well in Karavas. Presidential Commissioner Marios Hartsiotis announced that the government has secured €1 million for advanced genetic testing, utilizing massive parallel sequencing to identify remains from the Tomb of Makedonitissa. The project, to be implemented by the Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, is scheduled to begin in May. Official figures indicate that of the 1,619 total missing persons, 859 have been identified, while 760 remain unaccounted for. Archbishop Georgios and relatives' organizations emphasized the ongoing humanitarian necessity of the issue, citing recent Council of Europe decisions regarding Turkey's cooperation. Search efforts persist despite increasing technical difficulties as investigators move beyond the most accessible cases.