Nineteen months after the car crash that claimed the lives of two International University of Monaco students, the father of one of the victims has spoken out, demanding justice. Vugar Akhundov, whose 19-year-old daughter Dilara died following the accident on December 17, 2023, has written an open letter to Monegasque society, published by Monaco-Matin, and launched an online petition calling for a “firm, fair and exemplary judicial response” to the case.
“I’m not asking for revenge, I’m asking for justice,” Akhundov writes. “It’s now been more than a year and a half. Nineteen months of silence, of waiting, of anguish. While we, parents, visit our daughters’ graves, mourning their loss every day, while we simply struggle to survive unbearable pain, the person responsible for this tragedy is free. He enjoys life, we see him on beaches, in restaurants, in clubs, as if no tragedy had taken place. He savours his youth while that of our children was brutally cut short.”
The fatal crash occurred when 22-year-old Finnish driver Mirco P., with a blood alcohol level of 1.87 g/l, lost control of his Audi RS4 at 107 km/h exiting the Millennium Tunnel. The impact killed Dilara and her 19-year-old friend Ayana from Kazakhstan and injured two other passengers. All families have filed civil suits and are urging that the criminal trial be held urgently.
Akhundov says his actions are not for “sensationalism” but to “remind society of the gravity of what happened and to ensure that such tragedies are not forgotten or repeated.” He also insists: “This silence is becoming unbearable. We refuse to let this tragedy become normal. I don’t want my daughter’s death to be just a statistic, a forgotten news story.”
Dilara, a passionate second-year IUM student, had dreamed of building her life in Monaco. Her father describes her as “a thinker and philosopher at heart, a dreamer and a creator,” whose talents ranged from music and poetry to photography and chess. With the support of Monaco’s Association for Assistance to Victims of Criminal Offences, her artistic works were published in a book titled I Want to Feel Alive, which has already been shared with schools to preserve her memory.
Despite the passage of time, Akhundov and his family continue to fight for her legacy. “Dilara’s light will never be extinguished. My wife, my eldest daughter Aziza and I are only held together by the strength of our love for her and our determination to perpetuate her memory. Life without her is a wound that time cannot heal. Her absence is irreparable and each day is a struggle to accept a world that no longer contains her presence,” he writes.
According to Monaco-Matin, the judicial investigation—opened on December 19, 2023, for “aggravated involuntary manslaughter and aggravated involuntary injury”—has now closed. The investigating judge issued a referral order to the criminal court on July 22, 2025. The Monaco public prosecutor confirmed that the hearing is likely to take place in the first quarter of 2026.
The accused, who told investigators he regrets the incident but does not remember it, remains under judicial supervision with bail conditions, including a driving ban, while awaiting trial.
Akhundov has vowed to continue his campaign, including a memorial at the crash site this autumn. “We are still waiting for justice,” he concludes.
Image by Jack Brodie, a flower at the scene of the crash
