Elderly man dies at popular Larnaca beach

A senior citizen died on Monday following an apparent drowning incident at a popular Larnaca beach.

According to local media, a 76-year-old Greek Cypriot male was spotted unconscious in the water at Larnaca’s Mackenzie beach on Monday morning.

The Cyprus News Agency reported that beachgoers in the area saw an unconscious elderly man floating in the water around 9:10am.

Reports said the man was pulled out of the water with rescuers attempting to give first aid until an ambulance arrived. He was then rushed him to the Emergency Room at Larnaca General Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead on arrival.

Additional reports said lifeguards on duty at a nearby tower, who were working early in the morning, did not see the man who was reportedly in the water closer to another lifeguard tower that was vacant at that time.

Some lifeguard towers in Larnaca are not manned from the early morning or when crowds are thin, which prompted lifeguards to criticize authorities on Facebook, calling on the government to take measures to boost safety on public beaches.

Doctors said the exact causes of the man’s death were expected to be known following a post mortem, which would be scheduled following the required testing for the coronavirus.

CNA said police were investigating a case of sudden or unnatural death.