Since the early hours of this morning, the mountain search and rescue team from the Madeiran Volunteer Firefighters (BVM), and the National Maritime Authority (AMN), have been scouring the area around the Pináculo viewpoint in São Gonçalo, after a report that a woman may have fallen over the railings.
In addition to the Madeiran Volunteer Firefighters (BVM) and the Public Security Police, who coordinated the search, a lifeboat from the Captaincy of Funchal was on site to conduct a ‘sea search’. However, first of all, fire crews had to conduct a physical search at the top of the escarpment. Unfortunately, the search was made difficult due to falling debris, which is why a physical sea search could only take place once the land searches were over.
On early arrival at the lookout point, the police only found a pair of glasses at the site and therefore initiated a full-scale search of the area.
After six hours the rescue mission was terminated due to insufficient evidence.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
