"Organization! Come on, comrades! In front of!". The vegetation is dense, the terrain very steep, but nothing stops the GNR military from advancing. The Fonte Férrea, from where they started, is now behind and the Cova da Muda (São Brás de Alportel) can be seen from the top of the hill. It is in this area of dense forest that 93-year-old Adelina Viegas is believed to have disappeared on Thursday, March 18. Today, March 26, searches were reinforced, with around 210 soldiers on the ground.
It wasn't even 8:30 am and the Fonte Férrea car park was already full of vehicles and GNR operatives ready to start the search.
In total, there were 210, coming from various locations, such as São Brás de Alportel, Loulé, Alcoutim, Olhão, Faro or Silves. All driven by the same goal: to find Adelina Viegas.
As explained to the Sul Informação source of the GNR, this was "a great effort", promoted by the Guard.
“The searches have been going on for eight days and we will continue until we find you. Since the first day, we committed all our efforts, but today, in fact, we are here with a larger action», he said.
Once properly organized, it is time for the military to depart for the field, covering an area of about 1,5 kilometers between Fonte Férrea and Cova da Muda. Most go on foot, some with dogs, but there is also a patrol on horseback.
"It is an area that seems important to us, to which you may have moved and disoriented," added the same source from the GNR.
But the job is not easy, like the reporter from the Sul Informação he found on the spot: the vegetation is dense, the trails are difficult to traverse and, so far, a week after the search began, there is still nothing new.
And what will have happened? The GNR believes that Ms. Adelina, when moving "through these paths, may have lost her balance and fallen", but nothing is certain.
Since the discovery of this elderly woman's disappearance, the City Council of São Brás de Alportel has gone to work to try to help in «whatever possible».
One of the essential points was the appeal for, whoever wanted and could, join the GNR searches. Many people accepted the challenge… including President Vítor Guerreiro.
Ao Sul Informação, the mayor told about the experience he had last weekend.
«It's a job in which we are looking around, looking for a sign, a clue, but unfortunately, this is happening with a citizen of ours who is such a beautiful age: 92 years», he lamented.
As the days go by, Vítor Guerreiro confesses that “the hope of finding Mrs. Idalina alive is fading away”, guaranteeing, however, that the municipality will continue to support the searches “in whatever way we can”.
One of the areas where the City Council has been helping is the delivery of meals and drinks, which is being made by the Civil Protection of São Brás de Alportel, in an initiative that also involves local restaurants.
Vítor Martins, commander of the Civil Protection of São Brás de Alportel, explained to our newspaper that, "throughout these days, we have guaranteed all the food support to the operational and popular people who join."
In a tent, set up at Fonte Férrea, there have been, every day, "4,5 Civil Protection workers in this precious help."
And that's where the GNR's 210 soldiers join after the end of the first of three searches of the day, for a food reinforcement. The result of the operations was fruitless – no sign of Dona Adelina.
But hope has not died yet and it is the commander of the Civil Protection of São Brás de Alportel who gives the motto: «let's hope that, at the end of the day, we have some good news».
Photos: Pedro Lemos | Sul Informação
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