Millennium Tunnel accident: five years’ imprisonment for drunk driver who killed two students
He had a blood alcohol level of 1.87 grams per litre at the time of the incident, nearly four times the legal limit of 0.5 grams © Monaco Tribune
On Tuesday 16 December, two years after the tragedy that claimed the lives of two IUM students, the criminal court sentenced a young Finnish driver. Mirco Partanen, 24, was found guilty of aggravated manslaughter and aggravated involuntary injury.
The court handed down a five-year prison sentence to Mirco Partanen and issued an immediate arrest warrant. The young man was also sentenced to a five-year driving ban in the Principality. The public prosecutor had sought six years’ imprisonment, the maximum sentence provided for under Monaco’s Criminal Code. Compensation for the civil parties has been deferred until 30 January 2026 to allow for a full assessment of damages.
A look back at the tragedy of 17 December 2023
During the night of 16 to 17 December 2023, at around 4.30 am, the young student was driving his Audi RS4 with four fellow students from the International University of Monaco on board. The group was leaving the Twiga nightclub to head to a party in Cap-d’Ail. As the car exited the Millennium Tunnel, it violently struck a low wall at an estimated speed of 107 km/h. Ayana Nurshanova, 19, died at the scene. Her friend Dilara Akhundova, also 19, succumbed to her injuries a few days later at Pasteur Hospital in Nice. Two other passengers were seriously injured.
Tests revealed a blood alcohol level of 1.87 grams per litre, nearly four times the legal limit. An on-board camera had recorded the entire journey, showing dangerous acceleration through Monaco before the crash.
During the trial, testimony from relatives made a strong impression. Vugar Akhundov, Dilara’s father, denounced the silence that surrounded the case for two years. He repeatedly called for a swift trial, notably publishing an open letter in the local press.