36 people rescued after tour boat capsizes off southern Portugal
The National Maritime Authority of Portugal (Autoridade Maritima Nacional; AMN) has reported that local partner agencies have successfully rescued all 36 passengers and crew of a tour boat that capsized off the country’s southern region of Algarve on Monday, February 20.
The vessel was underway about 600 metres off the coast of the municipality of Lagoa when it suffered water ingress at around 13:20 local time on Monday.
Personnel from the Portuguese Maritime Police as well as the crews of some Good Samaritan vessels deployed to an area just off Alfanzina Lighthouse in Lagoa and found the survivors wearing lifejackets and drifting in the water near the overturned and partially sunken tour boat.
All 36 survivors were pulled out of the water and brought to nearby Portimão. Some of the survivors showed signs of hypothermia and were promptly treated by responding medical teams.
The capsized boat was later raised and towed to Portimão by a salvage company hired by the owners.
The AMN said the maritime police is preparing to begin an investigation into the incident.
