Newsroom
Cyprus’s busy summer beaches face serious safety gaps because of internal conflicts, flawed licensing rules, and a severe shortage of lifeguards. Large sections of the coast now operate without any coverage, placing swimmers at risk.
A long-running conflict between private lifesaving clubs and the Cyprus Lifesaving Federation has blocked the supply of qualified staff. The Ministry of the Interior reports that money and job openings exist, yet many towers stay empty. Current regulations require every guard to hold credentials issued only by the federation. Rivalries have prevented certified candidates from private clubs from receiving those credentials. Recent legal checks also showed that the federation itself holds no valid government registration certificate. As a result, authorities have shifted training responsibilities to new human-resource agencies.
The shortage is especially acute in free Famagusta, a major tourist area. District officials recorded no new lifeguard appointments this year while existing staff continue to leave. Of the 37 designated watch posts, seven smaller beaches now have none. Short seasonal contracts form the main obstacle: outside the peak months, employment lasts only four months. Even with a starting net salary of about €1,560 plus overtime, few young people apply.
These gaps have already produced clear harm. In Larnaca a mother drowned in rough seas shortly after lifeguards finished their shift at 18:00, prompting discussion of both roster limits and individual responsibility. In Pernera a serious jet-ski collision revealed another regulatory weakness. Unclear authority between local councils and the Port Police allows foreign visitors to hire powerful watercraft without the operator licences demanded of Cypriot residents.
The ministry has answered with a €1.5 million programme running through 2028. The money will replace decaying wooden towers with aluminium structures and purchase essential equipment such as jet skis and defibrillators. New official training courses are scheduled to begin next year. Until then, many stretches of coastline remain without supervision.
