Takata probe at advanced stage

Investigations into faulty Takata airbags are at an advanced stage and the police are still taking statements, police press officer Michalis Michail said on Monday. Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency, Michail said he did not know how many more statements were to be taken or if any new instructions had been given by the Law Office. “The information we received was that the investigation of the case is ongoing.” As to how long it would take to wrap up, Michail said that would depend on the bulk of work yet to be completed. Kyriakos Oxinos, 24, was killed when a faulty Takata airbag exploded during a traffic accident in January 2023. A second fatality linked to faulty Takata airbags is also under investigation. Styliani Giorgalli, 19, from Avgorou was killed in an accident in October 2024. An autopsy determined that she died from haemorrhagic shock caused by a ruptured ascending aorta and lung, injuries allegedly inflicted by metal shrapnel from a defective airbag. The first recorded injury from a Takata airbag was in 2017, when a young driver sustained serious facial injuries. Alexandros Lougos has so far undergone 21 surgeries to restore his face.