A 34-year-old Israeli tourist has died after drowning while swimming off the coast of Limassol, police said on Wednesday.

At around 3.30pm on Tuesday police were informed of an unconscious man at a Limassol beach.

Officers and an ambulance were dispatched to the scene, where the 34-year-old was recovered from the water.

He was transferred to hospital, where doctors confirmed his death.

According to Israeli media, the man, a Jerusalem resident, had been swimming with his family when he disappeared from view.

His relatives immediately began searching for him, however some two hours later a paraglider flying over the area noticed a body floating in the water and alerted the emergency services.

Rescuers recovered him from the sea, but he was pronounced dead.

The Israeli volunteer emergency organisation ZAKA said it is working with the Israeli foreign ministry and the Cypriot authorities to support the victim’s family and complete the procedures required to repatriate his body to Israel for burial.

ZAKA deputy operations director Chaim Weingarten described the incident as “a great tragedy”.

The circumstances surrounding the drowning are under investigation.