The desperate tragedy of an eight-year-old boy who drowned after a sailing lesson in Oeiras Marina on Monday is still shrouded in mystery. Police have “apprehended images available” via CCTV cameras, in the hope that footage will answer questions as to how the boy came to fall into the water and why he was not wearing a life-jacket. Meantime, Oeiras mayor Paulo Vistas said the council was committed to finding answers but would for now assume responsibility.
The sailing lesson was promoted by the council and in the charge of monitors with “vast experience”, he added, stressing this was “the first time in 20 years of council-promoted activities that there has been a fatality”.
Público reports today that the child named had just finished a sailing lesson with five others and the next activity was to follow a short meal-break.
Once a monitor realised the boy was missing, searches were mounted. It took however until almost four hours until a dock worker spotted the body submerged in 2.5 metres of water.
The child’s family, including two siblings, as well as the monitor who had been looking for him were all given psychological support as Maritime Police set about taking witness statements.
