The list of vehicles fitted with faulty airbags was known to authorities the north for more than a year before a fatal crash last week, head of the Turkish Cypriot insurance companies association Borte Barlasoglu said on Saturday.
Speaking to Kibris newspaper, he said the organisation’s insurance information centre holds details of all vehicles with defective Takata airbags.
He said the association informed the relevant authorities about the danger around 18 months ago and asked for permission to alert vehicle owners.
The request, he added, was rejected on grounds of personal data protection.
“If we had been given permission 18 months ago, perhaps we would not have lost this man today,” Barlasoglu said, referring to 26-year-old Ali Osman Bayram, who was killed in a traffic accident.
He said the lack of action led to the fatal consequences.
A post-mortem examination found that Bayram was killed by a metal fragment that burst from a faulty Takata airbag during a collision and struck his head.
The north’s ‘transport minister’ Erhan Arikli admitted the delay, saying that a bill to recall the affected vehicles has not yet been advanced. He said the authorities are still awaiting opinions from the ‘attorney-general’s office and other relevant bodies before proceeding.
“Unfortunately, we did not act at the right time,” Arikli reportedly said.
In the Republic, at least two other fatalities have been linked to these airbags: 24-year-old Kyriakos Oxinos in January 2023 and 19-year-old Styliani Giorgalli in October 2024.
An investigation into these incidents has led to recommendations for criminal charges against individuals and companies involved, citing serious omissions and negligence.
Authorities have been criticised for failing to act despite early warnings and ongoing risks.
