05-16-2013, 12:09 AM
A 12-year-old Russian boy was stabbed nearly two dozen times while on holiday on the island of Crete, allegedly by a Dutchman working as an entertainer at the child's hotel, Greek authorities said.
Nikita Onishchenko, who was on holiday with his family, was airlifted to Athens by military plane after being stabbed 20 times on the chest, back and other parts of the body.
He was left in a 'comatose state' in a 'serious' condition and is now expected to undergo urgent surgery.
His distraught mother Ekaterina was at his bedside, having flown with him from Crete to a children's hospital in Athens.
![[Image: article-0-19CAF2D1000005DC-970_634x422.jpg]](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/05/15/article-0-19CAF2D1000005DC-970_634x422.jpg)
12-year-old Russian victim, who was stabbed at least 20 times, is moved from an ambulance at Herakleion airport in Crete to be flown to hospital in Athens
![[Image: article-0-19CA9E55000005DC-668_634x466.jpg]](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/05/15/article-0-19CA9E55000005DC-668_634x466.jpg)
mother of the 12 year-old victim waits outside the hospital of Iraklio, on the island of CreteMeanwhile, the authorities, fearing damage to their lucrative foreign tourist market during the current economic crisis, insisted that Greece is a safe country for tourists who should not be put off by a one-off case.
Nikita, from Moscow, vanished from five-star hotel in the Hersonissos region in northern Crete and his mother raised the alarm at 9pm on Tuesday.
Officers scoured the area for hours before finding the wounded boy at about 2 a.m., lying behind disused piping and building material at the edge of a field used as a parking lot near the hotel.
An unnamed Dutchman - an entertainer at the hotel where the family was staying - was yesterday in police custody after police stated that he had confessed to the stabbing as well as to stealing an iPad and mobile phone from the boy.
A search finally found Nikita at 2am on Wednesday lying 'in a pool of blood' in bushes on the edge of a field near the hotel.
![[Image: article-0-19CAA29F000005DC-881_634x423.jpg]](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/05/15/article-0-19CAA29F000005DC-881_634x423.jpg)
Forensics officers search the spot where the boy was attacked by the 20-year old Dutch hotel entertainer
![[Image: article-0-19CA3728000005DC-568_634x422.jpg]](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/05/15/article-0-19CA3728000005DC-568_634x422.jpg)
The young victim and his family were staying at the luxury Mitsis Laguna Resort and Spa on the island of Crete
![[Image: article-0-19CA6514000005DC-90_634x422.jpg]](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/05/15/article-0-19CA6514000005DC-90_634x422.jpg)
Scene: The cordoned-off area where the 12-year-old Russian boy was found wounded. He is in a serious condition but his injuries are not believed to be life-threateningPolice said the Dutchman had allegedly taken the boy's mobile phone and laptop from the hotel's entertainment area earlier in the evening.
A preliminary investigation indicated the boy later tracked down the man, finding him near the hotel with the stolen items.
Police said the man then led the boy into the parking lot, stabbed him and abandoned him.
Authorities later found the knife believed to have been used in the attack, and recovered the laptop and mobile phone.
Police claimed to have found the attack weapon which had been washed and hidden in a fire hose.
'He is still in critical condition,' said Panos Ephstathiou, head of the medical centre, where the child was initially treated.
'The patient can later face serious problems with the lower limbs. Unfortunately, in such cases, the injuries often lead to paralysis of the legs.'
Russian reports of the case suggested a possible sexual motive in the attack, but there was no confirmation of this by the Greek authorities.
Greece last night acted to play down fears over its safety as a tourist destination.
'I am sincerely sorry for what happened. Greece is a safe country,' said Health Minister Andreas Lykourentzos.
'Greece is a hospitable country and the National Health System is in a position to meet any
challenge, whether it concerns a Greek citizen or a tourist.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-...z2TOfbY4zE
Nikita Onishchenko, who was on holiday with his family, was airlifted to Athens by military plane after being stabbed 20 times on the chest, back and other parts of the body.
He was left in a 'comatose state' in a 'serious' condition and is now expected to undergo urgent surgery.
His distraught mother Ekaterina was at his bedside, having flown with him from Crete to a children's hospital in Athens.
12-year-old Russian victim, who was stabbed at least 20 times, is moved from an ambulance at Herakleion airport in Crete to be flown to hospital in Athens
mother of the 12 year-old victim waits outside the hospital of Iraklio, on the island of CreteMeanwhile, the authorities, fearing damage to their lucrative foreign tourist market during the current economic crisis, insisted that Greece is a safe country for tourists who should not be put off by a one-off case.
Nikita, from Moscow, vanished from five-star hotel in the Hersonissos region in northern Crete and his mother raised the alarm at 9pm on Tuesday.
Officers scoured the area for hours before finding the wounded boy at about 2 a.m., lying behind disused piping and building material at the edge of a field used as a parking lot near the hotel.
An unnamed Dutchman - an entertainer at the hotel where the family was staying - was yesterday in police custody after police stated that he had confessed to the stabbing as well as to stealing an iPad and mobile phone from the boy.
A search finally found Nikita at 2am on Wednesday lying 'in a pool of blood' in bushes on the edge of a field near the hotel.
Forensics officers search the spot where the boy was attacked by the 20-year old Dutch hotel entertainer
The young victim and his family were staying at the luxury Mitsis Laguna Resort and Spa on the island of Crete
Scene: The cordoned-off area where the 12-year-old Russian boy was found wounded. He is in a serious condition but his injuries are not believed to be life-threateningPolice said the Dutchman had allegedly taken the boy's mobile phone and laptop from the hotel's entertainment area earlier in the evening.
A preliminary investigation indicated the boy later tracked down the man, finding him near the hotel with the stolen items.
Police said the man then led the boy into the parking lot, stabbed him and abandoned him.
Authorities later found the knife believed to have been used in the attack, and recovered the laptop and mobile phone.
Police claimed to have found the attack weapon which had been washed and hidden in a fire hose.
'He is still in critical condition,' said Panos Ephstathiou, head of the medical centre, where the child was initially treated.
'The patient can later face serious problems with the lower limbs. Unfortunately, in such cases, the injuries often lead to paralysis of the legs.'
Russian reports of the case suggested a possible sexual motive in the attack, but there was no confirmation of this by the Greek authorities.
Greece last night acted to play down fears over its safety as a tourist destination.
'I am sincerely sorry for what happened. Greece is a safe country,' said Health Minister Andreas Lykourentzos.
'Greece is a hospitable country and the National Health System is in a position to meet any
challenge, whether it concerns a Greek citizen or a tourist.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-...z2TOfbY4zE
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