The deputy commander of the Ponta Delgada Volunteer Firefighters, Fernando Infante, announced that search operations were suspended today around 9:00 PM local time (one hour ahead in Lisbon) due to operational safety concerns. The search will resume at 9:00 AM local time on Friday.
“It is a challenging situation given the location, [because] the waters are not as clear as we would like them to be. They are somewhat constrained by algae, which also causes additional difficulty for the operatives conducting the search,” he explained.
The alert was raised at around 3:40 PM local time, he added.
Fernando Infante noted that the man, a resident of São Miguel island, was at the location with a group of friends and disappeared while navigating in a small boat commonly referred to as a “gaivota” before deciding to dive.
According to the Basin Plan for the Lagoa das Sete Cidades, “the beach recreation area, suitably demarcated and signposted, should be the only location where swimming and bathing are permitted”.
The deputy commander remarked that users of the leisure boats available at the site “must wear a life jacket, which is mandatory”.
“Apparently, the gentleman removed it before diving,” he concluded.
The site was attended by members of the fire brigades from Ponta Delgada and Ribeira Grande, divers, and PSP officers, who will resume the search on Friday.
