Missing man rescued in Paphos forest after 24-hour search

A 60-year-old Turkish Cypriot man, Akkan Coșkun, was successfully rescued on November 13, 2026, after going missing in the rugged Cedar Valley forest area of Paphos. Coșkun had disappeared around 2:00 PM on Thursday, November 12, while mushroom hunting with two companions. The group lost their orientation in the treacherous terrain, and when the other two returned to their vehicle without him, they notified authorities.

A massive search operation involving the police, the Department of Forests, civil defense, rescue dogs, drones with thermal cameras, and helicopters was launched immediately. The search effort, which continued throughout the night, was hindered by the steep and inaccessible geography of the area known as "Black Cliffs" (Mavro Gremous) or "Konizi.

Coșkun was eventually located in a ravine around 3:00 PM on Friday and was successfully extracted by air rescue. He was found in good health and has since been reunited with his relieved family. The operation concluded successfully with the Department of Forests commending the professional efforts of all involved agencies and volunteers.