Early on the morning of Saturday, January 10, members of the Cyprus national handball team experienced real moments of fear in Estonia.
The bus transporting the delegation from Tallinn to the city of Põlva, where the game against the Estonia national team was to take place, was involved in a serious accident on the Tallinn-Tartu highway in the Neanurme area. The cause of the incident was extremely difficult weather conditions: the road was covered with snow, visibility was deteriorating due to ongoing snowfall, and the air temperature dropped below zero.
There were 23 people in the cabin - athletes, coaching staff and team representatives. While driving, the driver was forced to perform several sharp maneuvers, trying to keep the bus on a slippery road. On the fourth maneuver, he lost control, the vehicle slid down an embankment and overturned, tilting sharply to the left. The passengers were literally thrown in one direction, many hitting each other, which increased the feeling of chaos and panic inside the cabin.
According to the host party, two members of the Cypriot delegation were taken to the University Hospital of Tartu for preventive purposes for a medical examination. Fortunately, no serious injuries were reported. The remaining team members boarded a reserve bus and continued on to Põlva, where they arrived safely, albeit with a noticeable delay and severe emotional shock.
Representatives of Estonian handball structures reported that immediately after the accident, direct contacts were established with the Cypriot team and European sports organizations. The situation is kept under constant control, and the region's emergency services worked as quickly as possible. The Southern Rescue Center and the Tartu Ambulance Service arrived on the scene as quickly as possible, which made it possible to quickly stabilize the situation and provide the necessary assistance to the victims.
The head of the Cyprus team delegation, Phytos Neophytou, said that the incident occurred at approximately 4:30 am, approximately two hours after leaving Tallinn airport. According to him, it was one of the most difficult and frightening moments in his life. Snowfall, slippery roads and forced maneuvers by the driver created a dangerous combination that ultimately led to the loss of control of the bus.
21 people - players and team members - were heading to an important international match, and for many of them this trip could have ended much more tragically. Despite the stress and fatigue, the athletes expressed gratitude to the rescuers and doctors, and also emphasized that their main task now is to restore their emotional state and prepare for the game.
In recent years, northern Europe has increasingly experienced sudden weather changes, heavy snowfalls and freezing rain, which significantly increases the risk of accidents, especially for large buses and tourist vehicles. For sports teams that regularly travel between countries, transportation safety becomes as important as preparation for matches.
The incident with the Cyprus handball team bus was a reminder of the importance of carefully planning routes, taking into account weather forecasts and using vehicles equipped with modern stabilization systems and winter tires. Fortunately, this time there were no serious consequences, but the incident has already caused a wide resonance in the sports community and among fans.
Today, the team continues to remain in contact with the host country and European sports structures, and the safety of athletes on further trips has become one of the priority issues for the organizers.
Source: alphanews.live, alphanews.live
