Bodies of the two victims found in Tróia taken to Forensic Medicine in Setúbal.

The bodies of the child and adult found lifeless today at sea after the sinking of the vessel they were travelling in near Tróia, Grândola, were rescued and taken to the Forensic Medicine services in Setúbal.

In a statement released this afternoon, the National Maritime Authority (AMN) indicated that the child’s body was detected and recovered by members of the Setúbal Maritime Police local command.

As for the body of one of the three adults missing at sea, “it was detected by the Portuguese Air Force aircraft, having been recovered by the Maritime Police vessel”, which can be read in the statement.

Contacted by the Lusa agency, the captain of the Port of Setúbal and local commander of the Maritime Police, Serrano Augusto, revealed that the two were “transported to the Legal Medicine services of the Hospital de São Bernardo, in Setúbal”.

The sinking of the vessel, in which five people were travelling, with one of them, the 62-year-old helmsman, being rescued alive, occurred around 07h00, about a mile and a half (approximately three kilometres) from Tróia, Grândola (Setúbal), but the Maritime Police only received the alert at 10h05.

The other four people on board, all male, disappeared at sea, including a father, “around 45 years old”, and his son, “13 years old”, whose body has already been recovered, said the AMN.

Initially, the captain of the Port of Setúbal and local commander of the Maritime Police indicated that the boy who disappeared at sea was 12 years old.

According to AMN, the other two castaways are “two young people, aged 21 and 23”. Commander Serrano Augusto added that these are brothers – with no relation to the other father and son –one of which is the adult who has already been recovered dead.

Although the head of the Setúbal Maritime Police had initially stated that the five people were from the Santiago do Cacém area, a source from the Alentejo Litoral Sub-regional Emergency and Civil Protection Command assured Lusa that the two brothers “were natural and residents of Cadoços, Grândola”.

According to AMN, the search for the two people still missing at sea continues and is coordinated by the port captain and local commander of the Setúbal Maritime Police.

At sea, a vessel from the Setúbal Maritime Police and two boats from the Sesimbra and Sines Lifeguard Stations are engaged.

“Members of the Maritime Police, the Grândola Volunteer Firefighters and the GNR of Comporta are also carrying out searches on land,” he added.

The AMN said they are also collaborating in the drone searches of the Navy Operational Experimentation Centre (CEOM), a Portuguese Navy ship, and a Portuguese Air Force aircraft.

The Maritime Police Psychology Office has been activated and is providing support.

Lusa