An explosion at a Turkish military base in northern Cyprus sent shrapnel into a nearby hotel, injuring 12 people, one British holidaymaker has revealed. The man, who asked not to be named, said his elderly sister was thrown across her room by the force of the blast.
The incident happened in the early hours of Thursday when an arms dump caught fire at Catalkoy, west of Kyrenia. Multiple explosions continued for around four hours, peppering the Acapulco Hotel, situated less than 100 feet away, with red-hot fragments.
The retired British serviceman described how his sister, in her 70s, had tried to close her patio doors after the first explosion when a second blast sent shrapnel through the room. A piece of metal measuring around two inches square was later found in her accommodation.
Guests were evacuated to a nearby beach as chunks of metal, some as long as an arm, rained down on the hotel. Most of the 12 injuries were caused by broken glass, and the tourist said it was fortunate nobody was killed.
Turkish authorities on the island have launched an investigation into the fire. The Kyrenia area lies within the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which is recognised only by Ankara, and Turkey maintains a significant military presence there.
