Teenagers were vomiting, dizzy and unable to stand at a Halloween party in Limassol on Saturday where minors drank alcohol, including vodka with juice, a schoolgirl who attended told philenews.
Police have identified 13 minors aged 15 to 17 who ended up in A&E after the party, which the organisers had moved at the last minute to a beachfront venue. Limassol assistant police director Lefteris Kyriakou told Sigma that, according to information so far, parents had been told the party would take place at a venue that would not serve alcohol. The organisers then changed the location and alcoholic drinks were given to the minors, he said.
Limassol CID later said it had so far taken six statements from parents whose children were at the party and drank alcohol. Children who felt unwell went to several hospitals, but none of the cases was considered serious.
‘Quite a few couldn’t stand up’
The schoolgirl said things went smoothly at first, but between about 8pm and 9pm some of the minors began to feel unwell. Several pupils started drinking, while others were drunk, vomiting and dizzy. She described a girl who became very dizzy and collapsed into the arms of others at the party.
“Quite a few couldn’t stand up and looked like they had got drunk,” she said.
Her parents arrived at about 10pm to pick her up, by which time an ambulance had already been called to the venue. She said she did not drink alcohol herself, and that one person from her group was taken to hospital.
Last-minute move
The party had been due to take place at the Moutayiaka amphitheatre, but at the last minute the organisers posted on Instagram that the location was changing because of the speakers and lighting, she said. The children had already bought tickets before the move.
She had paid eight euros to book a place, but on arrival they were asked to pay more because entry was 25 euros. The party was scheduled to run from 7pm until midnight, and entry was delayed by about 40 minutes because of the large crowd gathered outside.
Most of those attending were pupils up to the final year of secondary school, from various parts of Limassol. There were security staff both at the entrance and inside the venue, she added.
