The Government is considering employing full-time lifeguards to address an acute shortage of people patrolling the island’s beaches.

At a press conference last week on the future of the Bermudiana hotel, Lieutenant-Colonel David Burch, the Minister of Public Works, said hiring local people had been “mission impossible” despite offering more money.

Three people have lost their lives in different incidents on the island’s beaches this year.

Hyon Duk Shin, of Pennsylvania, died on March 27 and 48-year-old Jamie Lambros, from New York, died last month; both after incidents at Horseshoe Bay. Angelito Manila died in hospital after being pulled from the water at Elbow Beach last week.

When Mr Lambros died, on October 7, no lifeguards were on duty at any beaches, although warning signs were posted as well as signs that noted lifeguards were not on duty.

“I think that there has to be an acknowledgement, and there is, that the cruise ship season has increased by about two months,” said the minister.

“So we are now looking at, and doing the research to see, whether we can do full-time lifeguards with the ability to have them doing some other things in the winter months when fewer people are on the beach.”

Earlier this year, Colonel Burch told the House of Assembly that lifeguard pay was being increased and work permits fast-tracked in a bid to recruit more people to watch over the island’s beaches.

Mr Burch added: “We have been trying this year, both with offering more money and doing various things, to attract people to be lifeguards.

“It’s been mission impossible, quite frankly.

“Very few Bermudians are interested in doing the job. We used to rely on overseas college students to come and do that but that number has reduced.

“I will put down a marker — the indications are at this stage that Bermudians are not going to do this.

“So right off the bat that means that we are going to have to look overseas and come up with another plan so we are able to provide the protection that both our locals and tourists deserve.”

While the lifeguard issue was “something that we take seriously” the minister urged people to be responsible.

He said: “I think it is also a responsibility on the people that go to the beaches, anywhere in the world.

“When you post that there are no lifeguards and don’t go in the water there should be some sense of personal responsibility that they are not going to do that.

“The signs are not up for fun.”

He said a ministry statement was expected to be released soon that would “set out all the things we have done to try and address the problem this year and what plans we have going forward to address the situation”.

“Are we sorry about those deaths?”, asked Colonel Burch. “Of course.”