João Francisco Colaço da Costa, the 22-year-old who disappeared in Vila Nova de Gaia in late July, has been found deceased. The family announced that the funeral will take place on Saturday, August 16.
The young man was last seen at 4:50 a.m. on July 31, in the Candal area of Vila Nova de Gaia. His disappearance was widely shared on social media and prompted an alert from the Municipal Police of Gaia.
At the time, the family disclosed that the law student left home at 3:00 a.m. on July 31, leaving his wallet and all identification behind. The geolocation of his mobile phone placed him between Candal and Palácio de Cristal at 4:49 a.m.
On Thursday, August 14, the family shared the obituary and revealed that the wake will be held tomorrow, August 15, and the funeral on Saturday, at the Church of Santo Ovídio in Vila Nova de Gaia.
“We appreciate all the support and expressions of faith we have received over these 15 days. May this case serve as an example for all of us to be more attentive to those closest to us,” the sister wrote on social media.
A local newspaper reported that the body found floating on Friday night at Valadares Beach in Vila Nova de Gaia belonged to João Colaço da Costa.
The National Maritime Authority (AMN) indicated that the alert about a male body found floating was received at 11:36 p.m. by the Lisbon Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC Lisbon).
The alert informed “of a body floating in the surf zone of the beach,” leading to the immediate activation of members from the Douro Maritime Police, Valadares Volunteer Firefighters, INEM’s Medical Emergency Vehicle (VMER), and the Judiciary Police.
Upon arrival, the police found that the body had been retrieved from the water by firefighters, and the deceased was officially pronounced by the VMER doctor.
The body of a man was spotted floating on Friday night at Valadares Beach in Vila Nova de Gaia (Porto), but the cause of death remains unknown, announced the National Maritime Authority today.
Lusa | 12:29 – 09/08/2025
The body was transported to the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences in Porto after contact with the Public Prosecutor’s Office and actions by the Judiciary Police.
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