Two people are missing, and two others have been injured – one seriously – following a collision today in the river Tejo in Lisbon between a Soflusa ferry and a fishing boat.
Searches were ongoing in the river for the missing victims, but have since been suspended overnight, to resume on Tuesday morning.
According to reports early evening, all the victims were on what was a ‘small fishing boat’, which appeared initially to have sunk, but which has been recovered, and towed to shore. It will now serve as crucial evidence into the circumstances of this incident.
The two injured were rescued from the water by another vessel, and transported to Cais da Margueira in Cacilhas, where INEM personnel were waiting “and promptly assisted” them, later transporting them to hospital, the National Maritime Authority explained in a statement.
The incident was called it just after 5pm.
The ferry, described in some reports as a catamaran, was travelling from Terreiro do Paço to Barreiro.
For the time being, the harbour master and local commander of the Lisbon Maritime Police have been coordinating search operations. Resources from the National Maritime Authority and the Captaincy of the Port of Lisbon, the Lisbon Sapper Fire Brigade and a Portuguese Air Force aircraft are involved.
Transtejo/ Soflusa has confirmed that it has set up an ‘internal inquiry’ into the circumstances and responsibilities of this incident.
The company explained that at 16:55 its catamaran ‘Antero Quental’, which was travelling between Barreiro and Lisbon, was rammed by a fishing boat, adding that the ship’s master tried to avoid the collision, namely with several audible warnings, which were ignored by the fishing boat.
Transtejo Soflusa, the company responsible for the river link between Seixal, Montijo, Cacilhas, Barreiro and Trafaria/Porto Brandão, in the district of Setúbal, and Lisbon, said that passenger transport on the Barreiro – Terreiro do Paço river link remains active and regular. ND
