The simultaneous death of seven people due to the detonation of an antipersonnel landmine at the land borders of the European Union during peacetime

Authors

  • Pavlos Pavlidis, MD, PhD
  • Valeria Karakasi, MD

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5055/ajdm.2015.0199

Keywords:

disaster, injury, trauma, firearms and ballistics, forensic pathology, forensic science, migrants, mines, Greece, borders, minefield

Abstract

This incident concerns the simultaneous death of seven people as a result of the accidental triggering of an antipersonnel landmine during peacetime. The victims were illegal migrants who attempted to cross the Greek-Turkish border zone and accidentally entered a demarcated minefield. This incident is presented because of its rarity and highlights the devastating consequences of the residual mines on the European Union eastern frontiers in peacetime. It also showcases the difficulties and risks that arise during the identification process in illegal migration issues. The victims’ positions at the moment of explosion are indicated by the detailed forensic examination and

comparison of the injuries’ anatomical dispersion and their severity.

Author Biographies

Pavlos Pavlidis, MD, PhD

Assistant Professor of Forensic Medicine, Laboratory of Forensic Sciences, School of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece

Valeria Karakasi, MD

Laboratory of Forensic Sciences, School of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece

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Published

06/01/2015

How to Cite

Pavlidis, MD, PhD, P., and V. Karakasi, MD. “The Simultaneous Death of Seven People Due to the Detonation of an Antipersonnel Landmine at the Land Borders of the European Union During Peacetime”. American Journal of Disaster Medicine, vol. 10, no. 2, June 2015, pp. 167-72, doi:10.5055/ajdm.2015.0199.

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Section

Articles