A STRETCH of Paphos coastline, which is red flagged, may have to be sealed off and guarded, after the eighth drowning, in four years, according to the president of the beaches committee, Nicos Similides.
“We have to take drastic measures to ensure no more lives are lost,” he said.
On Saturday, a 64-year-old Lebanese man, Abdel Malek Basbous, in Cyprus with his wife for a holiday, drowned in the sea off the Venus beach, near the Tombs of the Kings area in Paphos.
The couple got into trouble after being caught in the deadly currents about 50 metres from the shoreline. Other bathers managed to pull his wife, Elham Salloum, aged 52, from the sea, but were unable to save him.
The lethal stretch of coast is situated in front of a popular Paphos hotel and despite red flags and huge signs underlining the dangers, visitors and locals are drawn by the sandy beach and clear waters.
According to Similides, only last week three extra signs were erected on the beach, which measure 2.5 by 3 metres complete with illustrations. “These are in addition three other signs already in place which are written in three languages along with a number of reds flags, he said.
Similides added: “Two years ago, ministers promised us that a private enterprise would create wave barriers after a study of the area.” But, according to the local councillor it has not materialised.
He added: “The plan (for the creation of breakers) further down the Paphos coast by the castle in Kato Paphos, and along from there, seem to be going ahead, but the area where the man drowned at the weekend is terribly dangerous and it’s urgent that something is done.”
But now angry local officials and residents are demanding immediate action from the government to create permanent safety measures in the area.
Paphos Mayor Savvas Vergas said: “Immediate measures must be taken to reduce the strong currents in this area. Bureaucracy and red tape are holding up the request for the creation of wave barriers on this piece of coast in an area that is so dangerous for swimmers. And now another tragedy has occurred.”
Vergas said Paphos municipality, along with the district office had put up numerous red flags along the beach, but pointed out that despite this and other safety measures being in place, nothing seemed to be working.
Similides disagreed with suggestions for placing a lifeguard on the beach.
“This is not a beach for swimming and we don’t want to encourage people to enter the sea here. If we put a lifeguard on duty, it’s as if we are saying it’s all right to swim and it’s not. It’s very, very dangerous.”
But Similides did say that one matter up for discussion was the possibility of sealing off access to the beach and the sea, in particular the stretch in front of the hotel, and the placement of a security guard to stop people entering the area.
“This is not a safe place to swim and the government must do something before someone else dies,” he said.
