16 people who were aboard a maritime-tourist vessel that overturned in Algar de João Bentes, next to the farol de Alfanzina, near Praia do Carvoeiro (Lagoa), were rescued at the end of the afternoon of yesterday, August 15th, by the lifeguards of Ferragudo and the Maritime Police of Portimão.
The alert was received at 18:18 pm, via a maritime-tourist vessel that was nearby, indicating that a boat was overturned in Algar de João Bentes.
Elements of the Local Command of the Maritime Police of Portimão and the Lifeguard Station of Ferragudo were immediately sent to the site, supported by two boats, as well as elements of the Volunteer Firefighters of Portimão.
Upon arrival, the rescue teams found that the damaged vessel was carrying 16 people, two of which were its crew, nine adults, including a pregnant woman, and five children between 2 and 6 years old.
The group was rescued from inside the cave by boats from the Maritime Police and the Ferragudo Lifeguard Station, with the support of a jet ski from a maritime-tourist company on Benagil beach.
The victims were transported to the Ferragudo Lifeguard Station, where they received assistance from the Portimão Volunteer Firefighters.
One of the victims was transported to a hospital unit by the firefighters, with the rest being transported to the Marina of Portimão, on the other side of the river Arade, by the lifeguard, where they were safe.
The vessel was removed from the interior of the cave, with the support of a maritime tourist who also went to the place, and towed to the port of Portimão, for safety reasons, where it will now be «subject to an inspection to determine the causes of the accident and verification of feasibility for the continuity of the maritime-tourism practice», adds the National Maritime Authority.
The local command of the Maritime Police of Portimão took care of the incident.
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