Two young boys, aged eight and 10, were found dead inside a locked car in Cyprus, an incident authorities are investigating as potentially linked to the ongoing heatwave. The children, who are of Bulgarian origin, were discovered in a vehicle parked within the British base of Dhekelia.
Police and ambulance services responded to the scene, where the children were pronounced dead. The children's father and stepmother have been arrested on suspicion of negligence. A spokesperson for the British bases confirmed that an investigation into the cause of death is underway at a house in Xylophagou, Famagusta district.
Initial reports suggest the boys may have been left to sleep in the car and succumbed to the heat. Autopsy results are expected to reveal the definitive cause of death. Local media claims the children's skin showed signs of burns, and the car was locked near a residential area and a field.
This tragedy occurs as Europe experiences a severe heatwave. In France, four children have died in incidents linked to the extreme temperatures, including an infant found in a car and a three-year-old boy discovered in a vehicle outside his home. Two other brothers, aged four and two, were found unresponsive in a car in Carpentras.
Across France, health officials have reported approximately 1,000 additional deaths since late June, with a significant increase among the elderly and vulnerable populations. Emergency services in both France and the United Kingdom have reported a surge in calls and hospitalizations related to heat exposure. The World Health Organization has noted over 1,300 excess deaths in Europe connected to high temperatures since June 21.