Cyprus Council of Ministers to ban vessels from going to sea in dangerous weather

The Cyprus government will ban vessels from going to sea in dangerous weather conditions. The decision will be taken by the Council of Ministers, Minister of Justice and Public Order Kostas Fytiris announced following an emergency meeting at the Search and Rescue Coordination Centre, attended by the Minister of Agriculture and the Deputy Minister of Shipping.

The ban will be based on two parameters — the weather forecast and the vessel’s displacement. Violations will be subject to sanctions, while the Coast Guard, the police and the police aviation unit will monitor compliance: if the weather deteriorates, vessels will be warned in advance and directed to marinas and ports.

The measure is temporary: it will remain in force until Parliament passes a law on the Coast Guard. The bill is currently undergoing legal and technical review, while the government decided to establish the agency itself back in March.

“For 60 years, the powers have been dispersed,” Fytiris said, explaining why Cyprus needed unified coordination of all activities at sea. According to him, the incident exposed shortcomings that the authorities intend to address during the transition period, without waiting for the new law.

The measure was prompted by the death of a person near Cape Greco on Saturday, 29 August. Three vessels were caught near the rocks in the storm, and two of them could not be rescued. The minister noted that the rapid response of the services prevented the situation from worsening, and urged vessel owners and sailors to follow warnings from the meteorological service and the coordination centre.