A 40-year-old Canadian tourist was rushed to Faro Hospital after falling 20 metres from a cliff at Lagoa’s Afurada beach, which is inaccessible by land, on Sunday (June 30).
The man had climbed down a cliff with his wife in a bid to snap a picture of the beach, but on their way up a section of the cliff gave way and he fell from a height of 20 metres down to the beach below.
His wife was able to reach the top of the cliff and seek help.
Authorities were called shortly before 3pm and a team from Ferragudo’s ISN rescue centre was deployed to rescue the holidaymaker with the help of a team of lifeguards from the nearby Caneiros beach.
According to Portugal’s maritime authority (AMN), “the victim was conscious but had sustained many injuries”.
The man was rescued by boat and taken to the ISN rescue centre in Ferragudo where an ambulance rushed him to the hospital.
The maritime authority urges people to stay away from the edge of beachside cliffs as they are “unstable” and can give way at any time.
Photo: Autoridade Marítima Nacional
