UPDATE: A fourth body, that of a woman, was discovered this afternoon at Praia Azul
Three people died after their sailboat sank off Praia Formosa in Santa Cruz, Torres Vedras, around an hour’s drive away from Lisbon.
The bodies and the sailboat washed ashore this morning at around 11am, Portuguese Navy spokesperson José Sousa Luís told Lusa news agency.
The sailboat was flying a Danish flag and had left the Peniche marina this morning with three people on board.
“Upon arrival at the scene, it was noted that some debris, allegedly from the vessel, had washed ashore, along with three shipwreck survivors, two male and one female, all without life jackets and in a state of cardiac arrest. The members of the Volunteer Fire Department of Torres Vedras immediately began resuscitation maneuvers,” said statement from the National Maritime Authority (AMN9.
The Navy spokesperson later confirmed, however, that the three people, all believed to be foreigners, were pronounced dead at the scene.
Searches for any potential missing crew members are being carried out.
While the circumstances surrounding the sinking of the boat are still being investigated, national press outlets have highlighted that the weather was particularly dangerous for sea navigation this morning.
Lisbon, where the municipality of Torres Vedras is located, is one of the seven districts in mainland Portugal that is under a red warning until 3pm due to rough seas, with north-westerly waves expected to reach a significant height of seven to eight metres and a maximum height of 14/15 metres, Lusa reports.
The remaining districts are Porto, Viana do Castelo, Leiria, Aveiro, Coimbra and Braga.
