The National Maritime Authority (AMN) has reported that a 16-year-old boy went missing today after encountering difficulties in the water at Dragão Vermelho beach, in Costa da Caparica. Search operations have been initiated using maritime, land, and air resources.
An AMN spokesperson indicated that by 10:45 PM today, the Portuguese Navy ship NRP Tejo was in the area. Additional search efforts will be deployed from 8:00 AM on Wednesday.
During this incident, another young individual managed to exit the water independently, while a second was rescued by lifeguards from the ‘Praia Protegida’ project of the Almada City Council in Setúbal district.
According to the AMN, the rescued boy was unconscious and received assistance from the lifeguards until the arrival of the Cacilhas Volunteer Firefighters, who transported him to a hospital.
Today, this police force recorded 45 maritime incidents, involving 50 individuals across the country.
In an advisory issued late this afternoon, the AMN cautioned that despite the ongoing school holidays and mild weather forecasted for the coming days, “the sea at this time of year is characteristic of winter and poses a high risk due to maritime agitation. The morphology of the sea has altered due to strong waves typical for this period, creating areas with deep spots, steep slopes, whirlpools, and rip currents on beaches, which are not currently marked.”
The authority emphasizes that most Portuguese beaches are not monitored at this time of year and lack lifeguard security infrastructure, indicating that “response to distress situations may be delayed, so the public should act appropriately and responsibly to avoid risky situations.”
The National Maritime Authority advises against risky behavior, such as approaching the water or walking on wet sand. It stresses that children should be constantly supervised, always kept near an adult, and that individuals should not turn their backs to the sea and must always maintain a safe distance from the waterline to avoid being caught by a wave.
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