A British holidaymaker was fatally stabbed in a rented apartment in Budapest's Erzsébetváros party district and a fellow British visitor has been arrested on suspicion of murder, police said.
Budapest police said officers responded to a report that a man had been stabbed at about 4:13 a.m. and that the 28-year-old victim died despite attempts by officers to render aid. A 34-year-old man, described by authorities and local reporting as a friend of the victim, was questioned at the scene, admitted to killing him and was taken into custody, police said.
The Budapest Police Headquarters' Life Protection Department has opened an investigation on suspicion of murder, police said in a statement. Local media reported that the two men had rented the apartment while visiting the city and had been out partying before returning to the flat, where an argument reportedly escalated into violence.
A witness quoted by Hungarian outlet Bors said they heard a fight and smashing noises around 3 a.m., followed by sudden silence. Residents told reporters that when officers arrived they found a pool of blood outside the flat's door and that the suspect had attempted to drag the victim's body down the corridor.
Photographs and video from the scene published by local media showed officers holding a white tarpaulin on a balcony as investigators worked inside the building. Police were also seen searching rubbish outside the block as part of the probe, local reports said.
Erzsébetváros is known for its bars and nightlife and attracts many tourists; local outlets noted that the apartment blocks in the area are often used as short-term lets. Police did not provide further details about the relationship between the two men, the exact circumstances of the stabbing or the alleged weapon, saying only that the investigation was ongoing.
Hungarian authorities did not immediately release the identities of the men. It was not immediately clear whether British consular officials had been notified; consulates customarily assist nationals who are victims of or involved in criminal incidents abroad.
The Life Protection Department will continue the criminal investigation to determine the sequence of events, the legal classification of the offence and whether further charges will be filed, police said. Local prosecutors will decide on pretrial detention and next steps as the investigation proceeds.