Two officers from the DIAS motorcycle unit are being treated at the 401 General Military Hospital in Athens after a serious road collision on the Athens–Sounio avenue late on Saturday evening.
The incident occurred at approximately 22:30 when a rental car carrying four tourists attempted a U-turn while travelling towards Sounio. The vehicle, driven by a German national, is reported to have ended up positioned across the carriageway. The two officers, approaching on their motorcycle in the same direction, were unable to avoid the car and struck it heavily.
According to initial accounts, the attempted manoeuvre took place only 20 to 25 metres beyond a bend, severely limiting the officers’ reaction time. Both sustained injuries and contusions. Medical sources indicate that their lives are not in danger and their condition is not giving cause for concern, though they may require several further days of hospital treatment and recovery.
The driver of the rental vehicle underwent a breathalyser test, which returned a negative result. Traffic police placed wood chips on the road surface to absorb oil that had leaked from the vehicles. The precise circumstances of the collision remain under investigation by the relevant authorities.
An earlier report published late on Saturday included video footage from the scene.