Jet ski accident reveals delay in new Cyprus boating rules

Local accidentbeachlawParalimniTop News Jet ski accident reveals delay in new Cyprus boating rules Jet Ski 1536x951 Relevant News Cyprus tourist arrivals fall 1.1% in July as Israel surge offsets European declines 19 August 2026 Jet ski accident reveals delay in new Cyprus boating rules 19 August 2026 South Korea minister says Trump appears to be pressuring Seoul over Iran, investment 19 August 2026 Natasa Christoforou 19 August 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber Cyprus passed legislation regulating pleasure craft movement and licensing six months ago, “the Recreational Navigation in the Republic and for Other Related Matters Law of 2026, 4(I)/2026,” but the road to implementation remains long, with much still outstanding and no specific implementation timeline written into the law by Parliament. The delay came to light after a serious sea accident in the Pernera area last Saturday, in which a jet ski driven by a 17-year-old collided with a towed inflatable boat, critically injuring a 48-year-old Greek-Cypriot man and seriously injuring his 7-year-old daughter. The investigation into the accident will proceed under the old 1992 legislation, last revised in 2020, a case that would test the same questions the new law is meant to address. Speaking to philenews, Kyriakos Aliouris, deputy director of the Deputy Ministry of Shipping, said the new legislative framework includes several new requirements that will be implemented gradually. He said it takes a holistic approach, regulating all pleasure craft in the Republic and introducing provisions for companies offering water sports, which will be subject to inspection and could have their operating licences suspended. Training schools will also need to be established, he said. Anyone seeking a powerboat operator’s licence will need to complete a training programme, through schools approved by the Deputy Ministry of Shipping offering a specific theoretical and practical curriculum. Those who successfully complete it will be eligible to apply to sit exams for an operator’s licence. In practice, the biggest change under the new law is that it covers the movement of all vessels, not just powerboats. Aliouris explained that the existing legislation regulates only powerboats, split into Category A (privately owned) and Category B (for hire), while the new law covers all motorised pleasure craft up to 24 metres, split into three categories. Asked whether the new law would still allow a jet ski to be rented to someone over 18 without an operator’s licence, he confirmed it would. He added that those who have turned 17 can drive a jet ski provided they hold a trainee operator’s licence and are accompanied by someone holding a full operator’s licence, the same exception that would later prove central to the Pernera case. Aliouris said the provision for a Binding Declaration was carried over into the new law, with the difference that it now applies to a specific category of craft with lower engine power and a set speed limit. This had been debated in Parliament, he said, with the ministry pushing for lower engine power while industry groups wanted more. Parliament ultimately settled the matter. Whichever legislation applied to the Pernera accident, however, would not have changed the substance of the investigation, since the provisions for jet skis are nearly identical under both laws. Aliouris said the jet ski could have been legally rented to the 18-year-old, who could have completed training and co-signed the Binding Declaration. The 17-year-old, however, should never have driven it under any circumstances, he said, adding that this holds under both the old and new legislation. The only exception would have been if she held a trainee operator’s licence and was accompanied by someone with a full licence. Meanwhile, the police investigation into the sea accident is at an advanced stage, with the Deputy Ministry of Shipping assisting, and is focused on the rental process for the jet ski, which was carrying the 17-year-old and the 18-year-old, both Greek-Cypriot. According to police sources, preliminary findings indicate the jet ski was rented to the 18-year-old and was being driven, without a licence, by the 17-year-old. Aliouris noted that the legislation originally banned renting jet skis to Cypriots who did not hold an operator’s licence, but this provision was later removed for reasons of equal treatment. The 48-year-old remains in the intensive care unit at Nicosia General Hospital, with his condition described as extremely critical. His 7-year-old daughter, who suffered a serious head injury, has fortunately shown improvement and is in stable condition at Makarios Hospital. Subscribe to our Newsletter Latest News Cyprus tourist arrivals fall 1.1% in July as Israel surge offsets European declines South Korea minister says Trump appears to be pressuring Seoul over Iran, investment Cyprus, Bulgaria among Iran’s potential targets in Europe, FT reports Hormuz traffic slows as uncertainty over waterway persists As Europe bakes, momentum grows for climate-resilient farming Thailand Ghost Game Festival On this day: Voting in Germany decides Adolf Hitler as Fuhrer in 1934 Follow en.philenews on Google News and be the first to know all the news about Cyprus and the world.