The town of Tympaki has been plunged into mourning following the fatal injury of 19-year-old Rafael, when a defensive hand grenade exploded in his hands at the Afantou Firing Range in Rhodes. Explosives experts from Rhodes Security, according to cretalive.gr, continue their investigations at the site searching for the safety pin of the grenade – a khaki metal strip approximately 15 centimeters long that detached from the device body and has not been located. A metal detector has been deployed for this purpose.
Read: Tragedy in Rhodes: “Safe journey to eternity, my man” – Heartbreaking posts about unfortunate Rafael
Crete: The marking and restricted area
The Marking team has already completed its inspection, while the work of the two explosives experts is expected to be completed, so that Army personnel and the family’s technical advisor can then be allowed access. Two military vehicles remain at the accident site, in front of which the fatal explosion occurred. In one of them, the “Kanadeza,” boxes containing the hand grenades are loaded.
According to the same sources, the 19-year-old’s father attempted to approach the Firing Range to leave a bouquet at the site of the tragedy. Despite his pleas, he was not allowed to enter, as the area remains closed for security protocol reasons and due to ongoing investigations.
Body transport to Crete
Rafael’s body arrived at Heraklion “Nikos Kazantzakis” Airport by C-130 military aircraft shortly before 3:30 PM on Thursday afternoon (27/11). The coffin, wrapped in the Greek flag, was received by a funeral home vehicle to be transported to Tympaki, his place of origin and residence.
The 19-year-old’s funeral service will be held tomorrow, Friday (28/11), at 11:00 AM, at the Holy Church of Saint Titus in Tympaki, where the local community prepares to bid farewell to the young man who left so unjustly and prematurely.
Devastated father of 19-year-old Rafael
The devastated father of the 19-year-old revealed what were the last words he exchanged with his son, shortly before the fatal explosion.
“What matters to me is that my child left happy, I saw him, he was beautiful, that’s how I’ll remember him.” This was stated by the father of 19-year-old Rafael, Manos Galyfianakis, shortly after returning to his home in Tympaki with his son’s body.
Visibly devastated, Mr. Galyfianakis spoke about the last moments he spent with his son in Rhodes, one day before the exercise that would turn into tragedy.
“I can say I’m ‘happy’ because before I left on Tuesday, my child told me with a smile: ‘Dad, tomorrow we’re going to throw hand grenades.’ I asked him ‘will you throw one too?’ ‘No way I’m missing the party,’ he told me, he was very happy, enthusiastic,” he stated.
Mr. Galyfianakis returned to Crete from Rhodes at noon with his 19-year-old son Rafael’s body. However, his mind constantly “runs” to the 39-year-old sergeant who was severely injured and is fighting for his life at the 401 Military Hospital where he was transferred. “I’m also thinking about the other brave man in the hospital. His condition is critical. I pray from my heart that everything goes well with this child too. He has two children, I sympathize with them.”
