Cyprus Defence Minister passes away

Defence Minister Tasos Mitsopoulos has passed away at the age of 48, it has been officially announced.

The patient’s condition deteriorated on Saturday and despite all efforts of the medical team, the patient died at 1.30 pm Cyprus time” doctors said.

Mitsopoulos was found unconscious in his office by his secretary, at around 10.30am on Friday.

He previously had a meeting with the Greek ambassador Vassilis Papaioannou and was scheduled to meet with US ambassador John Koening.

When he ran late for the second meeting, his secretary tried to call him on his office and on the mobile.

When Mitsopoulos didn’t pick up, she knocked on the door and decided to enter when she got no response.

Upon finding the minister unconscious, the secretary called an ambulance and notified a clinic next to the defence ministry. Doctors from the clinic rushed t the office and performed CPR until the ambulance arrived and took the minister to Nicosia General for emergency surgery