British police woman found dead in Corfu

Greek authorities are investigating the incident

A 22-year-old British woman, whose body was found (1/9) lying on a side street near a bar in the area of Kavos in southern Corfu early Friday morning, is a police officer reports the Sun.

The 22-year-old victim, who has not yet been named worked for Surrey Police.

She had arrived on the island just hours before the fatal fall that saw her plunge from a height of several metres, reports the Sun.

The young woman was found dead with a head wound on the first day of her holiday in the Greek resort. The Sun reports that the 22-year-old reportedly drank an adulterated drink with methanol before she was found dead.

As for how she died, the police officer reportedly decided to stay out the night before while her colleague was returning to their hotel. However, the officer fell several feet, hit her head, and was later found dead near a main road by a passerby.

Authorities in Corfu are investigating, as the British tabloid reports, whether her young police colleague had also been drinking adulterated drink when they arrived on the island.

The Corfu coroner, Yannis Aivatidis, who initially examined the young British woman, told The Sun that he detected alcohol in her body and that she died “just a few hours” after arriving in the area.

“There are questions about what kind of alcohol she consumed. Was the drink adulterated? Was she so drunk from the drinks she had consumed? The answer lies in the toxicology tests that will be done,” Aivatidis points out, explaining that the policewoman fell from a height.

Aivatidis added: “The findings included fractures to the chest, stomach, and a small ruptured spleen but it was the head wound that killed her,” adding that while the findings ruled out criminal involvement, it is unclear whether the policewoman was with friends at the time of her death.

“I believe she may have confused the building she was staying in and may have fallen trying to get into the building she was found outside. What remains unclear and is now part of the police investigation is whether her friends abandoned her after the fall,” he claimed.

Meanwhile, the island’s authorities announced on Sunday (3/9) that 28 bars are being “locked down” following a well-organised operation to identify businesses that evade taxes and/or sell adulterated and contraband drinks.

Her stepfather is expected to arrive in Corfu for the repatriation of his stepdaughter’s body this week.

For its part, Surrey Police said: “Sadly, we have been informed of the sudden death of a serving officer while on holiday in Corfu, Greece. We are working to support both their family and their colleagues here at this extremely difficult time. An investigation into the circumstances of the death is being carried out by the Greek authorities and we await further information.”