Heart of British national who died while on holiday in Cyprus found in a hospital laboratory in Nicosia

The heart at the centre of a row over a British tourist’s death in Cyprus has been located at Nicosia General Hospital’s histopathology laboratory, where it has been stored as evidence since last August.

According to report by Philenews, it was established that the organ belonging to British national, Michael Graley, 76, never left Cyprus following his sudden death during a family holiday in Famagusta area. The heart was removed during autopsy and examined by a UK-based histopathologist contracted by the state, with tissue sections prepared into slides that have not yet been sent to England for microscopic analysis.

The case sparked controversy after Graley’s widow, Yvonne, 73, told British newspaper The Sun that the family was never informed the heart would be removed. She discovered it was missing when a second autopsy was conducted at the coroner’s office in Rochdale after the body was repatriated to the UK. “They told me someone had removed Michael’s heart and so they cannot determine the cause of death,” she said. “I was so shocked. It was horrible.”

Cyprus police have rejected the allegations, with spokesman Vyronas Vyronos saying the family was informed at every stage that vital organs, including the heart, would be taken as evidence to determine the cause of death. The Paralimni police station handled the case following standard procedures for sudden deaths.

Sources told Philenews that the histopathologist examined the heart macroscopically in Cyprus and took sections for microscopic examination. The slides were prepared in Cyprus but have not yet been sent to England for analysis. “The heart never leaves Cyprus,” sources said. Histopathological test results are not yet complete.

Under standard procedures, organs taken during autopsies become evidence and are handed to police once examinations finish. They are stored either at the pathology storage facility at Nicosia General Hospital’s mortuary or at the Criminal Investigation Department headquarters, archived by case protocol numbers for a specific period. 

If families do not request or collect the organs within the designated timeframe, authorities proceed with cremation.