Star of Courage
Awarded on: 1978-05-19
Invested on: 1978-06-19
Andreas Kariolou was drowned while attempting to revive a member of the Canadian Armed Forces who had got into difficulties when deep-diving at Dhekelia, Cyprus, on 24 April 1977. Mr. Kariolou and a group of divers were participating in underwater exercises when he observed that the man was too long in surfacing and was indeed drowning. Though his own air supply was greatly diminished, Mr. Kariolou swam to the rescue and exchanged the mouthpiece of his own apparatus for that of the victim. As a result, the rescuer was himself weakened by the lack of air, and both men were drowned.