Two Angolan brothers went missing on Sunday
Authorities are still searching for two young brothers who went missing while swimming at Praia do Pedrógão in Leiria on Sunday.
Sérgio, 11, and Celso, 15, were last seen by their 16-year-old sister being swept away by a wave after entering the sea to join their friends even though they did not know how to swim, reports Jornal de Notícias.
Authorities have been searching by sea and on land ever since.
On Tuesday morning, authorities deployed a Portuguese Air Force aircraft, rescue crews from Nazaré and Figueira da Foz, and a drone to aid the search. A patrol vessel remained active overnight, and the search area was expanded south and west on Monday.
Meanwhile, maritime officials are warning beachgoers to exercise extreme caution. Many beaches are currently unmonitored, with no lifeguards in place, as the official bathing season has not yet begun in many boroughs.
“The bathing season hasn’t started — beaches are not supervised, and there are no dedicated lifeguards,” said João Lourenço, Captain of the Port of Nazaré and head of the rescue operations.
He urged the public to stick to familiar beaches, avoid deep waters, and stay out of the sea if they can’t swim.
In just the first five months of this year, there have already been over 40 incidents reported on Portuguese beaches, including 36 first aid cases and eight rescues.
