A young man reportedly entered the water in search of a ball before disappearing, according to Fernando Infante, deputy commander of the Ponta Delgada Volunteer Firefighters.
Authorities were alerted at 15:42 (one hour earlier in Lisbon) via the emergency number 112, with reports indicating “two people were calling for help at Lagoa das Sete Cidades,” Infante stated in remarks to the Lusa news agency.
“Upon our arrival, we found that, unfortunately, one person was already missing, and the second was out of the lagoon,” said Fernando Infante.
Search operations were immediately initiated to locate the missing individual, involving around 20 members of the Ponta Delgada Volunteer Firefighters, including 12 divers, as well as the use of a jet ski and a drone.
Also present at the site were the PSP and the Maritime Authority.
At 18:15, divers recovered the body of the young man, which was then transported to the morgue at the Ponta Delgada hospital for an autopsy.
This incident marks the second drowning case this month at Lagoa das Sete Cidades.
On August 14, a 57-year-old man from São Miguel Island disappeared at the same location while navigating a vessel known as a “pedal boat” and decided to dive. His body was found two days later.
In light of two fatalities in a short period, Fernando Infante suggested the area should have surveillance “or something to inform people of the danger,” despite locals being aware of the site’s conditions.
“These waters appear very calm but have some associated dangers, particularly surprising ones. [The lagoon] has various depth levels, where people can stand until a certain point and then can’t anymore, which could startle them, possibly due to encountering algae or having limited swimming experience,” Fernando Infante concluded.
According to the Lagoa das Sete Cidades Watershed Management Plan, “the designated and marked beach recreation area should be the only location where swimming and bathing are permitted.”
