Four summer drownings put Cyprus’s unstaffed lifeguard towers in the spotlight

Local LarnacaTop News Four summer drownings put Cyprus’s unstaffed lifeguard towers in the spotlight Dipli Tragodia Oroklinis 2 1536x864 1 1024x576 Relevant News Four summer drownings put Cyprus’s unstaffed lifeguard towers in the spotlight 17 August 2026 Father fighting for life after jet ski hits inflatable carrying five off Protaras 17 August 2026 Things to do on Monday, August 17 17 August 2026 Petros Afxentiou 17 August 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber A series of fatal incidents at Cyprus beaches this summer has renewed calls for longer lifeguard operating hours and improved staffing, with some towers remaining closed and others ending coverage while swimmers are still in the water. At least four people have died in confirmed drowning incidents widely reported since June. A fifth swimmer was found dead at a Protaras beach in a case initially suspected to involve drowning, although the cause had not been confirmed in the available report. The cases most closely connected to the lifeguard debate occurred in Oroklini and at Larnaca’s CTO beach. Two 20-year-old Somali women drowned at Oroklini on 18 June after being swept away by currents between breakwaters. The beach had a lifeguard tower, but it was unstaffed. Nine of Larnaca district’s 19 towers were reportedly without personnel at the time. The tower was unlikely to be staffed during the season because of personnel shortages. On 15 August, a 35-year-old Romanian mother drowned at the CTO beach shortly after 6 pm while swimming with her daughters, aged 12 and 14. The incident occurred shortly after the lifeguard’s shift had ended, although hundreds of people remained at the beach. The younger girl remained intubated but stable in the latest update, while her sister was out of danger. Police are investigating the circumstances. A 34-year-old Israeli man also drowned at a Limassol beach on 4 August after disappearing while swimming with his family. Lifeguards recovered him after a search lasting about two hours, but he could not be revived. Available information has not established that staffing or operating hours contributed to his death. Separately, a 27-year-old Indian man was found dead at Malama beach in Protaras on 29 July. Early indications suggested he might have drowned, but authorities were awaiting post-mortem findings. The fatalities, combined with several rescues reported in recent days, have brought renewed attention to closed lifeguard towers, limited coverage hours and chronic recruitment problems. Polys Pallikaros, president of the Cyprus Lifeguard Federation, told philenews that drownings are virtually non-existent where lifeguards are present. “A recent example is yesterday’s rescue in Paphos, where a child was saved,” he said. Pallikaros said another rescue took place at a Paphos beach without a lifeguard on duty. A lifeguard was alerted, travelled to the scene and carried out the rescue. “The authorities need to hear about these incidents so that they understand the work lifeguards do,” he said. Towers closed during peak summer Pallikaros identified two principal problems facing the sector: staff shortages and restricted operating hours. “We have towers that are closed in the middle of summer. In most cases, however, towers operate only until 6 pm,” he said. Official figures show that 84 of Cyprus’s 374 approved lifeguard posts are vacant in 2026. The shortages include 26 vacancies in Limassol, 25 in Paphos, 23 in Larnaca, six in Famagusta and four in Nicosia district. Interior Ministry figures show that staffing shortfalls prevent the approved coverage plan from being implemented in full. Although the Interior Ministry regularly advertises vacancies, it has struggled to attract applicants. Pallikaros said ministry officials had incorrectly believed the problem was a lack of trained lifeguards. He said the underlying difficulty was that lifeguarding is treated as seasonal employment, with contracts ranging from three to 10 months. “Why would someone with lifeguard qualifications leave their job for seasonal work?” he said. Federation seeks permanent posts Pallikaros said the authorities should offer more eight- and 10-month contracts, along with additional permanent positions. Most lifeguard towers close at 6 pm, although some beaches have coverage until 7.30 pm. Extending operating hours would require financial incentives and talks with employees, he said. The federation sent a letter at the beginning of the summer proposing that unemployed qualified lifeguards be identified, trained and assessed, but received no response. “We keep making suggestions, but we have received no answer,” Pallikaros said. He also called on the Interior Ministry to publish information showing which beaches have lifeguard coverage from sunrise to sunset. “We have been discussing the same problems for 15 years. I give up,” he said. Pallikaros said Famagusta district has 50 permanent lifeguard positions, while Paphos, Limassol and Larnaca each have 10. One-third of drownings occurred overnight Cyprus recorded 33 deaths in aquatic environments in 2025, including 28 at sea and five in inland waters. Of those incidents, 36% occurred between 8 pm and 8 am. Foreign nationals or non-Cypriots accounted for 61% of the victims, while 15 were aged over 70. Government figures also show that 533 people have died from drowning in Cyprus over the past 21 years, with an annual average of 29 deaths during the past decade. The figures were presented in July as part of the National Day for the Prevention of Drownings and Marine Accidents. Currents and sudden depth pose danger Commenting on the fatal incident at the CTO beach, Pallikaros said rocks in the area create two particular hazards. “The current runs in the opposite direction and tires swimmers, while the water suddenly becomes deeper between the rocky islets,” he said. “If you cannot swim, you will panic and drown.” He said the equipment supplied to lifeguards was improving each year but identified a continuing shortage of personal watercraft. “Jet skis are a serious issue. They should be available at 80% of beaches,” Pallikaros said. Read more: Larnaca drowning raises questions over lifeguard cover hours Subscribe to our Newsletter Latest News Father fighting for life after jet ski hits inflatable carrying five off Protaras Things to do on Monday, August 17 Filippa Fotopoulou leaps into Cyprus history with career-best European finish Woman, 19, arrested after allegedly assaulting police officer in Ayia Napa Who counts as energy poor in Cyprus? 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