The village of 19-year-old Rafail in Tymbaki has been plunged into mourning following his tragic death, when a defensive grenade exploded in his hands at the Afantou Firing Range in Rhodes. The young man’s body was returned by air to Crete, while bomb disposal experts continue to comb the area where the accident occurred in order to provide answers.

According to cretalive.gr, bomb disposal experts from the Rhodes Security Department are once again “sweeping” the firing range where the tragedy occurred, as under a prosecutorial order they are searching for the safety lever of the fatal grenade that killed Rafail and seriously injured the sergeant. It is a metal strip approximately 15 centimeters long, khaki in color, which has detached from the “body” of the grenade and has not yet been located. A metal detector has also been deployed, according to the same sources.

A forensic marking team has already completed its work, while the process by the two bomb disposal experts is also expected to be finalized, after which entry will be permitted to army personnel and the family’s technical advisor. The two military vehicles in front of which the deadly explosion occurred remain at the scene. In one of them, a “Canadian” truck, the boxes containing the grenades are loaded.

Father Not Allowed to Approach the Firing Range

According to the same information, the 19-year-old’s father attempted to approach the firing range to leave a bouquet at the spot where the accident occurred. He asked to be allowed in even for just two minutes, but his pleas were not heeded, as the area is closed off both for safety reasons (according to protocol) and for investigative purposes.

Rafail’s Body in Crete

Rafail’s body arrived at Heraklion “Nikos Kazantzakis” Airport by military C130 aircraft shortly before 3:30 p.m. on Thursday (27/11).

Wrapped in the Greek flag, the coffin with the 19-year-old was received by a funeral home vehicle in order to transport him to his birthplace and residence, Tymbaki in the Municipality of Phaistos, which, like all of Crete, is mourning his unjust and premature loss.

The funeral service for the 19-year-old will be held tomorrow, Friday (28/11), at 11:00 a.m., at the Holy Church of Saint Titus in Tymbaki.