UPD Popular singer Pantelis Pantelidis, 33, killed in car crash

Singer and songwriter Pantelis Pantelis, 33, killed in a car crash at 8:30 p.m. Thursday morning near the gate of the old Athens airport Ellinikon. Two young women who were also with him in the car have been taken to the hospital, one of them is reportedly seriously injured.

According to preliminary information, Pantelidis was driving the jeep, lost control of the vehicle and crashed against the crash barriers on the high-speed road Vouliagmenis Avenue. Autopsy and toxicological tests are yet to be conducted.

 

While the traffic police investigates the reasons for the crash, Greek websites quote police officials saying that the “impact was so violent that the crash barriers entered the car cabin.”

Paramedics rushed to the point reportedly found Pantelidis seriously injured with head injures, he was alive but passed away on the way to the hospital.

UPDATE

Citing traffic police officers, media report that neither Pantelidis nor his 30-year-old friend sitting next to him were wearing seatbelts. Only the young woman, 21, sitting in the back was wearing one. She was slightly injured.

“Even a seat belt had not rescued him, he was fatally injured by a piece of the crash barriers that had penetrated the jeep,” a traffic police officer said.  

It is estimated that the singer was driving the Mercedes SUV with a speed of 100-150 km per hour.

The three had reportedly left the night club where he had the rehearsal at about 2 a.m. and visited another night club to entertain themselves. The club was near the crash point. However, some media report that the three went first to a bar where they stayed for an hour and then to a friend’s home where they stayed until 8 o’clock in the morning, that is 2o minutes before the crash.

According to information, Pantelidis’ family seeks to appoint an independent expert to investigate the reasons for the crash. The family has allegedly suspicion of a possible “sabotage in the car” or that “someone added something like a substance in his drink.”

UPDATE Feb 20/2016

The case is being currently investigated by traffic police. According to testimony given to police by the 21-year-old woman injured in the accident, “all three passengers did not wear seat belts and the car had increased speed before the accident” – so Greek media.

The crash investigation has not been concluded yet.

Pantelis Pantelidis started his career uploading his songs on YouTube. He quickly became popular among the Greek youth, in 2012 had his first CD released.

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YouTube Direkt

The self-taught musician was born in Athens in 1983 and grew up in the neighborhood of Nea Ionia. He had abandoned a carrier in the Hellenic Navy to pursue his musical ambitions.

Just a few days ago, his latest song triggered an outrage though as the lyrics were referring to a young woman looking for her Turkish lover in Cyprus territories occupied by the Turkish army. Thousands of his fans turned against him on Greek internet, their love for him had turned into hate. Pantelidis apologized and withdrew the song.

Pantelis Pantelidis  was reportedly doing rehearsal until the early morning hours in the night club where he was to launch his new live program tomorrow Friday together with singers Despoina Vandi and Kostas Martakis.

His latest post on his Facebook page read: «Premiera” plhsiazei,Kollhse to gkazi, ‪#‎kiegwsagapw»

“Launch nears, Stuck to the speed-pedal,#Loveyoutoo.“

Fans started to flock to the crash area leaving some flowers, many of his colleagues have reportedly gone to Asklipiio the hospital where the singer was taken after the crash. Family and friends are in shock – and so are Greeks.

His funeral is scheduled for Saturday.

Live Stream Pantelidis’ Funeral on Saturday – here (videos and pictures)

Various Greek media, also here

PS tragic end for a shooting star of the Greek popular music.