Two British friends have died after one of them got into trouble in rough seas off the south coast of Cyprus and the other collapsed after trying to rescue her.
Holidaymaker Harry Bernard, 61, tried to save Christine Sugarhood, 66, as she struggled in the sea off the resort of Paphos on Tuesday.
He managed to bring his friend back to the shore but died after trying to revive her. Panaghiota Georgiou, of the local police, said: “After administering first aid he lost consciousness himself. From what we understand, Bernard was a friend of the woman and didn’t think twice when he saw her run into trouble in the sea.”
The pair were on holiday with their spouses. Local media reported that Sugarhood had rushed into the sea when she saw her husband Norman struggling in the water. Post-mortem examinations showed that both Bernard and Sugarhood had died from heart attacks.
The currents of Paphos are famously unpredictable, with holidaymakers drowning off its coast every year. Lifeguards, on duty throughout the summer months, were not deployed at the time of the accident, witnesses said.
An anonymous hotelier said: “It is a scandal that they weren’t there. Even though tourists keep coming at this time of year, they only work through to the end of October.”
The former British colony remains a favourite destination for UK travellers, with Paphos among the top resorts for holidaymakers visiting the island’s Greek-controlled south.
A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: “We can confirm the deaths of two British nationals. We are providing consular assistance at this difficult time.”
• The photograph and caption on this article were changed on 7 November 2014. The lifeguard hut in the earlier photo, intended as a general illustration, was in California.
