Fytiris admits legal gap on boat departure bans after fatal Cavo Greco crash

Local ayia napaTop NewsWeather Fytiris admits legal gap on boat departure bans after fatal Cavo Greco crash Cape Greco Boat Relevant News Fytiris admits legal gap on boat departure bans after fatal Cavo Greco crash 31 August 2026 The state is sinking off Limassol – 12 years of pollution and still no answers 31 August 2026 GSI works expected to resume before end of 2026, Gerapetritis says 31 August 2026 newsroom 31 August 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber Justice Minister Costas Fytiris has raised the prospect of changing the rules on anchorages and boat departures in dangerous weather, in the wake of the Cavo Greco tragedy in which businessman Dimis Mavropoulos died when his boat struck rocks during a storm. Speaking to ANT1, Fytiris said there is currently no legislation allowing the relevant authorities to ban a boat from departing due to bad weather, and said the issue needs to be examined through new legislation. He also stressed the need for stricter regulation of anchorages, particularly in locations that can become dangerous during severe weather. Under the current framework, he explained, a boat can anchor in a recognised anchorage area and remain there for an extended period. He said overnight stays should not be allowed, especially in locations that can become extremely dangerous. He stressed, however, that any change needs to be made carefully, since a blanket ban on anchoring could affect other activities such as tourism, foreign vessels, leisure boats and fishing. Any measure taken, he said, has some impact on other sectors, adding that a middle ground needs to be found. “There is no law banning departure” Asked specifically whether authorities can ban a boat from departing when severe weather is forecast, Fytiris said “there is no law banning departure.” He explained that even in cases of very rough seas, the relevant services can warn captains and strongly advise them not to sail, but cannot legally stop them from doing so. Drawing on his own experience, he said authorities have told captains the sea was very rough and advised them not to go out, but could not ban them from doing so. He said this gap needs to be addressed through legislation, for both commercial ships and leisure boats, and that penalties should also be set for breaching any future ban. Responsibility on captains Fytiris stressed that boat captains themselves also bear responsibility, and are obliged to stay informed about weather conditions and forecasts. Every captain, he said, is obliged to follow instructions and to research and stay informed about weather bulletins. Regarding the orange weather warning that had been issued, he said boat owners should have arranged to move their vessels to safer locations, adding that all boat owners should have made arrangements to go to a port or marina in order to cope with the conditions. “They did everything humanly possible” Turning to the search and rescue operation at Cavo Greco, the minister defended the response of state services, saying Cyprus should be proud of the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre, other services and the country’s helicopters. He said the Republic of Cyprus has one of the most effective search and rescue systems, both in terms of training and equipment and in terms of response time. On this specific incident, he said the state’s services did everything humanly possible in the shortest possible time. He also expressed his condolences to Mavropoulos’s family, describing it as a tragic outcome. The minister said restoration work in the area has already begun, with the relevant services removing debris, and that the process will continue until debris is cleared even from the seabed. The Coast Guard and coordination at sea Fytiris also linked the debate sparked by the tragedy to the planned creation of a Coast Guard, which he said has already been decided by the Council of Ministers, saying its creation would resolve a great many issues. He said many different services are currently involved in matters of maritime safety and search and rescue, making more unified coordination necessary. Subscribe to our Newsletter Latest News The state is sinking off Limassol – 12 years of pollution and still no answers GSI works expected to resume before end of 2026, Gerapetritis says We once feared we would forget. Now we risk getting used to it… Christodoulides-Erhürman meeting postponed after Kyrenia boat disaster When nature lays us bare… King Charles to honour Cypriot woman for protecting children from exploitation Two fire outbreaks near Cape Greco extinguished by passing citizens Follow en.philenews on Google News and be the first to know all the news about Cyprus and the world.