72-year-old British woman found dead in sea in Lapta

A 72-year-old British woman was found dead in the sea near the Kyrenia district town of Lapta, the Turkish Cypriot police announced on Tuesday.

The woman, named as Pauline Ann Chowns, was found dead at around 11.30am on Monday.

Police said that initial examinations found no signs of assault or force on her body, and that a subsequent autopsy had determined she had drowned.

Given that the beach off which she was swimming was a private beach, the Turkish Cypriot police announced that legal action has been taken against the 49-year-old manager of the business that runs it for not having a lifeguard present.

The police’s investigation into the matter is ongoing.