A 48-year-old Portuguese man from Lisbon has drowned after falling from a tour boat near the O Grove port in Galiza, Spain. His body was found nearly four hours later.
According to Spanish press, the man plunged overboard through a backdoor while trying to get onto the boat’s deck to smoke.
Witnesses have apparently described the incident as an “unfortunate accident”.
A spokesperson for the boat tour company said “in 30 years, nothing like this had ever happened”.
Identified only by the initials J.A.M, the man was apparently travelling with his wife in a group of over 40 people who were visiting the Spanish municipality of Meaño.
He fell into the water at around 11.45pm on Saturday (August 20).
Someone, most likely his wife, alerted the authorities that the man did not swim well.
Searches started by land and sea, as well as by helicopter. The man’s body was eventually found at 3.30am near the port’s breakwater.
Local authorities have already questioned the crew and passengers of the catamaran, which is said to offer boat trips from the O Grove port.
National tabloid Correio da Manhã adds that there were “no reports of violence” aboard or any other incident that could have led to the man falling off.
Spain’s Guardia Civil are in charge of the investigation.
