A 38-year-old Italian man drowned in Madeira yesterday, trying to save his 11-year-old son from drowning. The child was fishing with his father, from the shore, when he was pulled in by a wave. Gerald Malave rushed to his son’s aid, but was instantly out of his depth. The child was rescued by a surfer, and reanimated once taken to the beach. He was transported, in a stable situation, to Hospital Dr Nélio Mendonça, in Funchal. Meantime, the surfer tried to do rescue the father, but it was too late, explain reports. The beach in question, Praia da Maiata, is known as a ‘surfers’ beach’ and has no lifeguard cover.
