A SLOVAK soldier was killed in Cyprus on the morning of June 9 when he was hit by the rotor blade of a helicopter from which he was disembarking, Defence Minister Juraj Liška told the news wire TASR.
Miroslav Hruška, 24, a soldier from the 277-strong Slovak contingent deployed in Cyprus as part of the UN peace-keeping mission, was seriously injured during a regular helicopter inspection between 10:30 and 10:45, local time, and died in a hospital some 45 minutes later.
Slovak Prime Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda expressed his deep sorrow over the death in Cyprus, as well as the deaths of three Slovak army engineers killed in Iraq.
"The soldiers were part of missions of the Slovak Republic, our homeland. In these difficult moments, our thoughts turn to their families. We will remember these soldiers who were fulfilling their duties," Dzurinda said.
Compiled by Beata Balogová from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
