A 44-year-old man who was seriously injured in a traffic collision overnight in Paphos was placed under arrest on Tuesday after police investigations revealed him to be illegally in the Republic.

According to police, the accident happened at 11.30pm when the a car driven by a 53-year-old resident of Peyia, collided head-on with the car driven by the 44-year-old, under circumstances that are being investigated.

The two drivers were taken by ambulance to the Paphos general hospital where medical examinations determined that the 44-year-old had suffered multiple fractures and he was transferred to the hospital’s ICU unit to receive care. The 53-year-old was not seriously injured but he was kept for observation.

Police investigations later established that the 44-year-old has been residing illegally in the Republic since October 7, 2022 as his application for asylum had been rejected. He was therefore placed under arrest at 1.30am on Tuesday.

The causes of the accident are under ongoing investigation.