A 22-year-old student working as a food delivery rider suffered serious facial injuries on Friday evening after being targeted in a stone-throwing attack by a group of youths in Limassol. The victim was traveling along Omonia Avenue at approximately 45 kilometers per hour around 7:30 PM when five or six teenagers positioned in a nearby street began hurling stones directly at his passing motorcycle. The unexpected volley hit the rider square in the face, causing severe physical trauma while he was maneuvering his vehicle in active traffic.
The force of the impact broke the rider's safety helmet and shattered his prescription glasses into two pieces. Impact injuries to his face caused heavy bleeding, fracturing his nasal bone and opening a deep wound above his eye. Despite the severe trauma and his rapidly deteriorating physical condition, the young man managed to maintain control of his motorcycle long enough to ride away to a safer area. Concerned passers-by immediately came to his assistance and contacted emergency services, leading to the quick arrival of an ambulance and officers from the Cyprus Police.
Paramedics transported the victim to Limassol General Hospital, where emergency doctors treated his injuries. Medical staff administered 11 stitches in total, including nine across his fractured nasal bone and two above his right eye, before discharging him later that evening. Speaking about the terrifying ordeal, the rider noted that he bled heavily and that his condition became critical before receiving medical aid. He later shared a video online documenting his facial injuries to raise awareness about the violence.
The violent incident on Omonia Avenue underscores ongoing safety concerns for food delivery drivers operating across urban Cyprus, where courier workers frequently face hazards beyond routine traffic risks. Police are currently investigating the victim's formal complaint to identify the youths responsible for the attack, while local road safety advocates continue to call for targeted security measures and increased patrols along busy transport corridors.