Cyprus operators report near-daily cases of minors faking IDs

Local accidentbeachlawTop NewsTourism Cyprus operators report near-daily cases of minors faking IDs Jet Ski Vassos Vassiliou 22/08/2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber Minors in Cyprus are using apps to alter their ID photos, adding facial hair or changing their apparent age, to deceive licensed operators into renting them jet skis. Dimitris Hadjidimitriou, president of the Cyprus Water Sports Association, told philenews the practice began among foreign minor tourists before spreading to Cypriots. Minors approach water sports operators to rent jet skis while showing an altered photo of their ID that makes them look older. Using a specific app, minors add facial hair to their ID photo to appear older, Hadjidimitriou explained. They do not bring the physical document with them: instead, they photograph the altered ID on their phone and present that image as if it were the original. Another trick, also enabled by technology, involves swapping in a photo of an older sibling who resembles them, or altering their date of birth on the document. Hadjidimitriou said cases of minors altering their details or appearance in an attempt to rent jet skis come up almost daily. As the pattern became clear, licensed operators were advised to be more thorough whenever a prospective customer appears to be underage. As association president, Hadjidimitriou said he had briefed licensed colleagues and urged them to be vigilant, with sessions held to raise awareness of the issue. He said some minors still insist, showing the altered photo on their phone. Operators have been advised to ask a prospective customer who insists they are an adult to produce a birth certificate or passport instead. Operators have also seen cases where a minor is accompanied by an adult claiming to be their father, who states the child is an adult. But when asked to co-sign a binding declaration certifying that the person who will operate the jet ski is an adult, these adults leave rather than sign and take on the responsibility. Hadjidimitriou said a minor operating a jet ski, particularly without experience, is more than dangerous, both for themselves and for anyone in the area the craft passes through. Nobody knows where a jet ski will end up if it gets away from a young rider, he said. Some jet skis can reach speeds of up to 150 km/h, he added, at which point even an experienced rider can more easily lose control. He noted that new legislation caps jet ski speed at 45 knots, or around 70 km/h. The legislation also limits the horsepower of jet skis offered for rental. Professional operators use electronic systems to monitor jet ski speed, Hadjidimitriou explained. Speed is automatically reduced when a jet ski enters a departure or return channel to the beach, and reduced further, with an alarm sounding, if it enters a swimming area. He clarified that not all systems are this advanced. Some systems also link all the jet skis belonging to the same licensed operator, automatically reducing their speed when two come within 50 metres of each other. Operators can also define a safe navigation zone using a special device that marks out the area a jet ski may use; if the craft exceeds those limits, a signal is sent that automatically reduces its speed. Ministry regulations Rules issued by the Deputy Ministry of Shipping on the movement of fast craft include the following: Fast craft may travel at no more than 3 knots (about three nautical miles per hour) in channels between swimming areas, and in any other sea area within 100 metres of the nearest shore. Jet skis cannot go beyond 700 metres from the nearest shore, and cannot be used within 100 metres of clearly marked buoys in swimming areas. Jet skis are banned from sunset to sunrise between October 1 and April 30. Operator obligations Operating a fast craft without an operator’s licence is banned. Passengers must wear a life jacket or flotation aid and sit only in designated seats. Fast craft cannot be operated in a way that could endanger the life, physical safety or property of any person, or cause a nuisance. Driving within swimming areas is banned. Subscribe to our Newsletter Follow en.philenews on Google News and be the first to know all the news about Cyprus and the world. Latest News How Cyprus’s Foreign Ministry got Somalia to correct its slip Paphos domestic violence suspect probed over illegal CCTV, weapons claims Police fear new wave of violence after Ayia Napa attempted murder Cyprus in Brussels: six MEPs, six different paths 27 cancer treatments show promise as science gets precise Cyprus weather: mostly clear with highs of 39C inland on Saturday A new era in the labour market: Transparency, equality and investment in skills