Two lifeguards were rescued this Sunday afternoon after encountering difficulties in the water at Foz do Arelho beach, located in Caldas da Rainha municipality, Leiria district. The pair was reportedly swept away by a “strong current” while attempting to assist a colleague who also faced difficulties at sea while helping a swimmer.
The alert was issued at 5:13 PM through the Lisbon Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC Lisbon), according to a statement from the National Maritime Authority (AMN).
The agency detailed that “immediate action was taken, deploying crews from the Peniche Lifeboat Station, members of the Peniche Maritime Police Command, and personnel from the ‘Seawatch’ Project,” as well as medics from the Volunteer Firefighters of Caldas da Rainha and members of the ‘Oeste Rescue’ Lifeguard Association because it was a “near-drowning situation.”
At the scene, authorities found that two lifeguards “were swept away by a strong current while assisting another lifeguard who was in difficulty at sea after going to rescue a swimmer.”
The lifeboat station crew rescued these two victims and transported them to the Peniche port.
The lifeguard who initially began the rescue operation for the swimmer managed to return to shore on his own. However, he was taken to a medical facility for observation.
The Peniche Maritime Police Command has taken charge of the incident.
