Lifeguards pulled a 24-year-old foreign national to safety on Wednesday morning after he got into difficulty while swimming off Limassol, the Limassol Lifeguard Unit said.
He had set out to swim towards the breakwaters in the sea area opposite the GSO, within lifeguard zone LEM 15, when he began struggling and calling for help around 6:30am. It was his first visit to Cyprus, and he had no previous experience swimming in the sea.
By the time rescuers reached him, he was already out of his depth. A nearby bather had gone to his aid first and stayed with him until the lifeguard team, alerted from the LEM 15 tower, arrived by rescue jet ski and pulled him onto a rescue board. He was brought ashore safely, found to be in good condition, and did not require further medical care.
LEM 15 is one of two lifeguard points in Limassol that operate from 6am to 8pm, the unit noted, giving swimmers coverage from early morning onward.
The rescue comes amid continued scrutiny of drowning safety in Cyprus. Foreign nationals accounted for 61% of the 33 deaths recorded in aquatic environments across the country in 2025, according to figures presented by the Ministry of Health in July. A series of fatal drownings this summer, including in Larnaca, Limassol and Protaras, has renewed pressure on the government over lifeguard staffing shortages and limited operating hours, with the Cyprus Lifeguard Federation saying drownings are rare wherever lifeguards are actively present.
Read more:
