The body of a 19-year-old man was recovered from the Douro River on Wednesday morning (February 21). According to witnesses, he had jumped into the “freezing water” the night before to try to save a man who was allegedly attempting suicide.
André Ferreira was with a group of friends when they saw a car plunging into the river in Alpendorada at around 11pm.
“We yelled at the driver for him to get out, but he kept submerging his head underwater,” José Pedro Santos, one of the members of the group, told Correio da Manhã tabloid.
That is when André Ferreira decided to jump into the water to get to him.
“He was able to remove the man’s seatbelt and get him out of the water,” Santos explained.
But the worst came afterwards when his friends saw Ferreira floating in the water.
“I jumped in and tried to grab him, but I was only able to get to the other man,” he said.
Another friend also tried to enter the water but quickly got out due to the cold.
Ferreira’s body was only found the following morning near the car.
“He did what he thought was right, but in the end he was the one who died,” said the young man’s uncle António Ferreira.
“My sister is inconsolable … she just screams for her son,” he told CM, adding that his nephew “swam well” but that the man he tried to save was “heavy”.
Ferreira’s family is said to be receiving psychological support. According to CM, he had four brothers and is being honoured by family members on social media as a “hero”.
Meantime, authorities have revealed that the 64-year-old man who was rescued was taken to the Padre Américo Hospital in Penafiel. He is “recovering well” and showed only some signs of hypothermia.
An autopsy is due to take place to determine the young man’s cause of death.
michael.bruxo@algarveresident.com
