The 45-year-old Portuguese man rescued from a tunnel in Istanbul, Turkey, where he had been trapped for several days, has returned to Portugal. The case dates back to September but has only now come to light.
Caires Pereira, as identified by the Turkish press, was taken to a foreign detainee center after receiving medical assistance. He was later deported to Portugal, following standard procedures, and boarded a flight to Lisbon on September 18.
The man was saved after his wife raised the alarm on September 10 with the “Consular Emergency Office” due to her inability to contact him.
On September 11, as reported by Turkish newspapers, a passerby near the tunnel in Kasımpaşa, Beyoğlu district, heard the Portuguese man’s cries for help and alerted the authorities.
A rescue team was then deployed, consisting of dozens of personnel and heavy machinery to extract Caires Pereira from the location.
Beyoğlu’nda Kasımpaşa-Hasköy Tüneli yanında duvar arasında mahsur kalan kişinin Portekiz uyruklu 45 yaşındaki Caires Ferraiera olduğu ortaya çıktı.
Ağustos ayında Türkiye’ye gelen Ferraiera’nın pasaportunu kaybettiği için sokakta yaşadığı ve dinlenmek için girdiği tünelde… pic.twitter.com/a8QBh1miFS
— Onedio (@onediocom) October 12, 2025
As reported yesterday, the man was found semi-nude, dehydrated, and with minor injuries, and was subsequently taken to the hospital.
With the help of a translator, Turkish authorities quickly identified him as the man whose wife in Portugal had reported missing.
