Newsroom
The sea does not suddenly become safe at 6 p.m. Yet on many Cyprus beaches, that is when the lifeguards pack up, even as families, tourists and elderly swimmers remain in the water.
Following a string of drownings this summer, the government is now preparing to extend lifeguard coverage and overhaul a staffing system that has left dozens of positions unfilled.
The government’s plan may finally begin closing the gaps. The uncomfortable question is why those gaps were allowed to remain open until another deadly summer forced the issue.
Under plans announced by Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou, lifeguards will remain on duty until 7 p.m. during June, July and August. Starting times may also be adjusted according to how busy or dangerous each beach is, rather than applying the same timetable everywhere.
The changes, however, are expected to take effect in 2027, when this year’s swimming season and its tragedies will already be behind us.
Cyprus has 114 lifeguard towers and 374 approved positions, but 80 jobs remain vacant, according to figures reported following a meeting at the Interior Ministry. The problem is particularly severe among lifeguards offered contracts lasting only three or four months.
Of the 35 three-month positions, 28 remain empty. Another 19 of 39 four-month jobs and 31 of 67 six-month posts have not been filled. By comparison, only two of the 125 eight-month positions are vacant.
The numbers point to a fairly straightforward problem: people are far more willing to train for and take on a job when it offers more than a few months of employment.
The ministry is therefore considering replacing the shortest seasonal contracts with longer appointments, a move it believes could fill more than half the existing vacancies.
The way lifeguards are trained and certified will also change. Certification is expected to come under the Human Resource Development Authority, allowing private training centers and nautical clubs to prepare candidates. Officials hope this will reduce training costs and create a larger pool of qualified lifeguards.
Local authorities will also be required to prepare an annual safety plan for their beaches. Each plan must assess visitor numbers, risks, required lifeguard towers, operating hours, and staffing needs and must be submitted by Nov. 30 for the following year.
The reforms acknowledge a problem lifeguards and their unions have raised for years: Cyprus cannot properly protect crowded beaches while offering unstable contracts that few qualified people want.
No lifeguard can prevent every tragedy, and swimmers must still take responsibility for warnings, weather conditions, and their own abilities. But on an island that sells its beaches to the world, properly staffed rescue towers should not be treated as a seasonal luxury.
The government’s plan may finally begin closing the gaps. The uncomfortable question is why those gaps were allowed to remain open until another deadly summer forced the issue.
