Cyprus missing persons: ministry reports completion of family DNA collection
Identification remains pending for 37 missing people from Greece. The 251 General Air Force Hospital is joining the scientific process for the first time, the deputy minister says.
Deputy Defence Minister Thanasis Davakis reports that collection of genetic material from relatives of people missing since the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus has been completed, in a ministry announcement dated 24 October 2026.
He describes collection as a necessary step toward identifying 37 people from Greece who remain missing. The number concerns unresolved cases; the announcement does not say those 37 have been identified.
The 251 hospital’s participation
According to Davakis, specialist medical staff from the 251 General Air Force Hospital, supported by its laboratory’s capabilities, are participating in the scientific identification process for the first time.
The release follows a visit to Argos Orestiko on 22 October, with Cypriot Commissioner Marios Hartsiotis. The ministry says additional genetic samples were collected, with the family’s consent, for a specific unresolved case.
What remains unresolved
Sample collection and laboratory participation are stages in the investigation. The announcement includes no new identification results or specific completion date for outstanding cases.
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