Excess sand that has built up at the entrance to Tavira’s port this winter seems to have been the reason for last Sunday’s fishing boat tragedy where a 54-year-old occasional sailor died.
Manuel Guerreiro was pulled out of the water by rescue workers in a state of cardiac-arrest, and died on the way to hospital, reports Correio da Manhã newspaper.
The ‘weekend fisherman’ who put to sea with friend Délio Cavaco was not wearing a life-jacket when the boat he was in turned turtle at the entrance to the port.
Ports authority captain Ventura Borges said: “The channel has silted up and needs intervention.”
Fishermen have already alerted authorities to the dangers, writes Correio da Manhã. “At low-tide, a peninsula of sand is created that almost closes off the channel altogether”.
Last weekend’s tragedy, on Sunday afternoon, came just as a sudden wind picked up from the south. This would have helped precipitate the accident, fishermen told the newspaper.
Guerreiro’s fishing partner, also without the support of any life-jacket, was rescued suffering from hypothermia and is expected to make a full recovery.
