Authorities declare sea cave jumping ban after serious injuries

Authorities on Monday warned that they will start reporting people jumping off the cliffs at the sea caves in Ayia Napa after a crew was called in to rescue three teenagers from the sea.

This is the fourth such incident recently, the defence ministry said, adding that some of rescued had sustained very serious injuries.

The ministry said that the Larnaca Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) was called in on Monday evening to rescue three 17-year-olds who found themselves trapped in the sea caves, in Cape Greco in the Famagusta district.

Due to the unfavourable weather conditions and high waves rescuers could not approach the teenagers by sea. They were finally rescued by the Famagusta fire service and taken to the district’s general hospital to be examined as a precaution.

“This is the fourth time lately the JRCC had to mobilise rescue crews” for similar cases the ministry said. On Monday they also had to call in a vessel of the marine police that was patrolling the waters nearby.

There had been incidents with very serious injuries in that area recently, it said.

The cliffs are an attraction to many locals and tourists who like to jump from them into the sea, but the ministry called on the public to avoid jumping off rocky areas, especially the sea caves into the sea.  It said that area was “strictly forbidden”.

“Trespassers will be reported for illegal and dangerous acts and for the activation of high-risk search and rescue operations for rescuers and rescue vessels,” the ministry warned.

 

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