Ten ‘drunk’ British squaddies in Turkish-held Cyprus spark diplomatic row after ‘jetski crash causes violent brawl among locals and Fast and Furious-style car chase’
- The off-duty soldiers had been spending the day at a beach in Northern Cyprus
- Locals accused them of smashing two jet skis and refusing to pay for the damage
- Police called and a fight broke out, with the army vicar being punched to ground
- UN now investigating incident which they say could worsen relations with locals
Ten ‘drunk and ill-disciplined’ British soldiers have sparked a diplomatic row in Cyprus after becoming embroiled in a violent clash with locals for allegedly damaging two jet skis.
An Army vicar was punched to the ground in the vicious brawl that led to a car chase in the Turkish-controlled part of the island last week.
He and ten squaddies working with the UN’s peace mission caused trouble with locals who accused them of smashing two hired jet skis and attempting to leave without paying the thousands-of-pounds-worth of damages.
Watersports Firm boss Cenk Akay, 39, told The Sun that the off-duty Brits were ‘arrogant, drunk and ill-disciplined and a disgrace to the UN’.
Mr Akay had demanded £4,300 to repair the damage to the jet skis but the Brits told him they did not have enough money with them to pay, causing him to phone the police.
The soldiers from the 21 Engineer Regiment say they were then surrounded by locals who threatened that they ‘would not leave this island alive’.
Mr Akay added: ‘I warned the two soldiers to keep the jet skis 100 metres apart for their own safety but they ignored me and drove them like dodgems – they were crazy.
One of the British soldiers covers his face as he leaves Glapsides Beach after the group became embroiled in a violent clash with locals for allegedly damaging two jet skis
Watersports Firm boss Cenk Akay, 39, said the group of soldiers caused thousands-of-pounds-worth of damage to his jet skis by driving them ‘like dodgems’
‘Then after the crash they refused to give me their names and smiled. They said: “We’re with the UN – you can’t touch us.”
‘I asked them to wait for the police but they drove away heading for the border into Greek Cyprus so I had no option but to give chase.’
The soldiers’ UN vehicles, a white minibus and a Ford Ranger 4×4, were then caught up in a Fast And Furious- style high speed car chase. They were pursued by two locals in a car, with the police not far behind.
At one point the Ford’s path was blocked and the soldiers claim they were threatened with a metal pipe.
It eventually managed to escape when it reached a UN base, while the minibus fled to the British Army camp at Ayios Nikolaos.
UN investigators ordered an immediate investigation into the incident and have warned that it ‘could lead to deterioration of relations between the local population and members of the UN as well as damage to the good name of the UN’.
The soldiers’ UN vehicles, a white minibus and a Ford Ranger 4×4, were then caught up in a Fast And Furious- style high speed car chase
It added: ‘The incident has been proceeded to UN HQ and to the highest political representatives of Northern Cyprus.
‘President Tatar declared strong intention to solve this issue by the UN.
‘We expect deterioration of mood of local inhabitants toward the UN, thus we are obliged to take a deep and serious investigation to conclude the matter as soon as possible.’
But a Ministry of Defence spokesman has defended the British soldiers in a statement that said: ‘We are confident that UK service personnel acted in an appropriate manner throughout.’
UN personnel have been temporarily banned from recreational trips to Turkish north Cyprus pending the investigation.
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