The incident happened on Friday within a sovereign base area (SBA) A British airman on his way home from Afghanistan has died after being hit by a speedboat while swimming in Cyprus.
The serviceman, from 1 Squadron Royal Air Force Regiment, has been named locally as Senior Aircraftsman Scott Hughes, 20, from Felinheli, Gwynedd.
The Ministry of Defence said he died on Sunday from injuries in Friday’s accident at the Cyprus Sovereign Base Area. Next of kin have been informed.
A man has been interviewed but is no longer in police custody.
His family have been informed and friends paid tribute to a “special person” on Facebook.
He had been due to return home following a tour of Afghanistan but was on a stop-over at the base.
“Despite the best efforts of the medical services at the scene, and afterwards, the airman did not recover from injuries sustained in the accident”
Wing Commander James Hill Spokesman
Wing Commander James Hill, a spokesman for the British military in Afghanistan, said: “It is with great sorrow that I must report the death of an airman from 1 Squadron Royal Air Force Regiment on Sunday morning.
“The airman was in Cyprus en route back from operational service in Afghanistan when he was involved in a fatal accident on November 5, 2010.
“Despite the best efforts of the medical services at the scene, and afterwards, the airman did not recover from injuries sustained in the accident.
“It is particularly tragic that he died while returning home from a tour of duty that was dedicated to protecting his comrades and Afghan civilians while part of the Force Protection Wing at Camp Bastion.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family. He will be sorely missed.”
His parents Michael and Emma Hughes told the Daily Post newspaper: “Our beautiful, brave, fun loving son has been cruelly taken away from us.”
They said Senior Aircraftsman Hughes had “fulfilled his dreams by serving his regiment and his country.”
An investigation into the crash is still ongoing.
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