A firefighting aircraft experienced a mechanical issue and made an emergency landing on the Douro River near Entre-os-Rios in Penafiel, Thursday afternoon. The National Maritime Authority (AMN) confirmed that the crew members are in good physical condition.
“Following an alert received around 3:30 PM for an emergency landing of an aircraft on the river, elements from the Capitania, the Local Command of the Douro Maritime Police, and members of the Humanitarian Association of Volunteer Firefighters from Melres were immediately dispatched to the location,” the organization stated in a press release.
The report indicated that upon arrival, authorities verified that “the crew was physically well, requiring no medical assistance, and the aircraft had positive buoyancy.”
The AMN also shared a video of their team approaching the aircraft, accessible in the gallery above.
Aviation sources explained that after landing on the river to collect water, during the initial phase of ‘scooping’ (water intake), the pilot lost control of the aircraft, which collided with one of the banks.
The same sources suggested that a mechanical issue might have caused the incident, noting that the Canadair sustained damage to one of its floats and hull, rendering it temporarily inoperable.
The AMN stated that the aircraft will be removed from the location by “a company,” in an operation monitored by the Maritime Police to “ensure navigation safety.”
The Local Command of the Douro Maritime Police is handling the incident.
One of the two aircraft assisting in firefighting efforts in Gondomar made an emergency landing on the Douro River this Thursday due to a mechanical failure. No injuries were reported.
Notícias ao Minuto with Lusa | 16:53 – 31/07/2025
The fire initially started in Penafiel on Tuesday and spread to Gondomar. With three active fronts, resources are currently being repositioned to combat the blaze in the villages of Vilarinho and Moreira, according to firefighter commander Joel Castro.
Providing an update on the fire that began in Capela and expanded to Melres, the firefighter stated that by 3:00 PM, the fire had three fronts, one in Penafiel and two in Gondomar.
Joel Castro added that the fire has already consumed “a considerable area” of brush, with resources being repositioned to address the advancing flames near the villages of Vilarinho and Moreira.
Currently, 215 personnel and 65 vehicles are on the ground managing the situation, according to Castro.
Almost all municipalities in Bragança, Vila Real, Guarda, Viseu, Coimbra, Castelo Branco, and Faro are at maximum rural fire risk today, according to data from the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA).
