Helicopters and drones search Paphos forest for missing mushroom picker

A large search operation was still under way on Friday morning for a 60-year-old Turkish Cypriot who went missing while gathering mushrooms in the Cedar Valley area of the Paphos forest on Thursday. Police named him as Akkan Coskun and said he was last seen in the Konizi area on 12 November.

According to reports, he had travelled into the mountains with two other people when the group became separated. The other two were found, but he was not. Authorities were alerted at around 2pm on Thursday after someone was heard calling for help from a remote part of the forest.

Police, the Forestry Department, the Game and Fauna Service, Civil Defence and volunteer rescue teams are taking part. Helicopters, drones with thermal-imaging cameras and search dogs have been deployed, while ground teams are struggling with steep terrain and dense vegetation. Searches ran all night and were reinforced on Friday morning.

Police describe the missing man as stocky, about 1.84 metres tall, with short white hair and a thick white beard. He was last seen wearing a white vest, a thick purple, black and white checked shirt, light-coloured jeans and ankle boots.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Kampos Police Station on 22 820956, the nearest police station or the Citizens' Hotline on 1460. This report reflects the situation as of Friday morning, 13 November.