Get you up to speed: Man, 82, dies after fight over sunlounger on Greek beach | News World
An 82-year-old man died following a physical altercation over sunbeds with a 76-year-old man on a beach in Vouliagmeni, near Athens. The 76-year-old has been arrested for causing fatal bodily harm.
The 76-year-old man has been arrested for causing fatal bodily harm, while a post-mortem has been ordered for the deceased. Authorities indicated that everyone involved in the incident would face a magistrate as part of the ongoing investigation.
Greek authorities have initiated an investigation into the incident that led to the death of the 82-year-old man, with a post-mortem examination ordered. The 76-year-old man involved in the altercation has been arrested and is expected to face charges of causing fatal bodily harm, while both men’s families expressed disbelief at the violent escalation over sunbed usage.
What remains unclear — It is not specified how the fight escalated to a level of physical violence between the two elderly men.
Elderly man dies following argument over sunbeds on Vouliagmeni beach
A man has died after a fight on a beach in Vouliagmeni (Picture: Costas Baltas/Anadolu via Getty Images)
An 82-year-old man has died after an argument over hogging sunbeds on the Athenian Riviera.
He had headed to the seaside town of Vouliagmeni – south of the Greek capital of Athens – before 10am on Sunday to spend the day sunbathing.
However, he ended up in an argument with a ’76-year-old man unknown to him’ as the beds were in short supply.
New information from local outlets has suggested the men began to argue over the sunbeds, with the 82-year-old claiming six of the loungers were taken.
It’s unclear how the fight started, but the argument escalated into a physical altercation, with the 76-year-old arrested for causing fatal bodily harm.
It’s believed the 82-year-old, who was at the beach with his wife, suffered a cardiac arrest during the scuffle.
CPR was administered at the scene, and a defibrillator was reportedly used before an ambulance arrived and took him to Asklepieion Hospital in Voula, where he died.
Witnesses told local media that the screaming could be heard from the other side of the beach.
He had argued with another beachgoer over a sunlounger (Picture: Shutterstock / Sven Hansche)
‘It seems that people who were with [the assailant] also participated,’ the state broadcaster ERT reported.
‘The 82-year-old was seriously injured and needed to be transferred by ambulance to Asklepieion hospital in Voula.
‘Despite the efforts of doctors, at about 11am the elderly man succumbed to his wounds.’
An acquaintance of the 76-year-old told ProtoThema: ‘My friend went to get the sunbeds, I was getting a ticket.
‘He got into an argument with the 82-year-old who said to him, “Do you know who I am? I’m from the navy.” My friend (the 76-year-old) has injuries, as does the 21-year-old girl who was accompanying him.’
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The woman with him, who is disabled, was also arrested for complicity, having allegedly made threats and verbally abused the stranger.
According to the arrested man, the pensioner had told the girl to ‘put down’ the paid-for beds and called her a ‘f***ing b***h’.
Speaking to Greece’s MEGA TV, he claimed the 82-year-old had punched the woman multiple times as he insisted she leave the lounger.
”He turned around and hit me, too. I said to him: “You’re hitting women, you lowlife.’ He was the one who hit me,’ the 76-year-old claimed.
She was later released, with witnesses telling Ta Nea newspaper she had a bloodied and swollen face.
The man was said to be defending six beds (Picture: SPYROS BAKALIS/AFP via Getty Images)
The 82-year-old man’s wife said: ‘My husband died over something stupid on an empty beach.’
‘Suddenly, even though the beach was empty, a couple wanted to take our sunbeds,’ she claimed on Greek television channels.
‘When we pointed out that there were plenty of vacant sunbeds and chairs, the man – who is now in custody – attacked my husband, punching him in the nose and the chest. He fell to the ground.’
A source told The Guardian that the ‘unprecedented’ fight has sparked an investigation.
‘In Greece disagreement is expressed vocally, with a lot of screaming and shouting, not in fistfights like this – especially between two elderly men. I think that’s why it is so shocking.’
There has been growing tension between locals and the owners of private rentals over the past few years, with sunloungers creeping up in price due to the cost of living crisis.
A post-mortem has been ordered, and authorities have confirmed everyone involved in the incident will be brought before a magistrate.
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