The day after Portugal’s lifeguards officially stopped for the season, a male swimmer has gone missing on the west coast beach of Monte Clérigo in Aljezur.
The so-far unidentified man disappeared from sight after getting into difficulties yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon.
Beachgoers tried to help him, but the strong currents combined with the receding tide left them powerless.
British holidaymaker David Smith told reporters: “He was really swimming with force, but he didn’t seem to be getting anywhere because the current was so strong”.
Smith and others on the popular beach noticed the swimmer as he was in an area peppered with rocks.
Surfer Tiago Dias tried to help him: “As I approached, I saw him disappear into the water as if he had been pulled from below. I never saw him come back to the surface. That’s when I got out of the water to call INEM.”
Air and sea rescue services were quickly scrambled but by the end of the afternoon, there was still no sign of the missing swimmer. Searches have resumed this morning (Thursday).
This latest tragedy that brings the number of swimming deaths this year to seven has been compounded by mystery, as no one on the beach appears to have known the swimmer – nor has anyone reported a missing person in the area.
Meantime, maritime authorities are warning swimmers to take extra care when in the sea as the majority of the country’s beaches are now without any form of supervision.
