Three Czech women were swept away by a wave this afternoon in Seixal.
The three women were on the beach in Seixal when they were caught by a freak wave and dragged out into the sea. Luckily, a tragedy was averted as heroic individuals managed to pull two women to safety while another, a man ran into the water with a life buoy and grabbed the third woman.
Due to the severity of the incident, SANAS were immediately called out from the Porto Moniz Lifeguard Station. On the way to the site, according to a SANAS press release, “the crew were informed that two of the victims had already been taken out of the water by people and the other was accompanied by a local who had, to the detriment of his own safety, jumped into the water with a buoy to provide buoyancy for himself and the victim as well as provide assistance in navigating away from danger.”
Both waited in the water until the arrival of the Atlantic 1. Once onboard they were quickly transported to the Porto Moniz pier, where a Volunteer Firefighters of São Vicente and Porto Moniz ambulance was waiting for them. The woman was then transported to hospital.
This is the second time in the last couple of weeks that freak waves have caught tourists unawares.
The rescue mission was coordinated by MRSC Funchal and the Regional Civil Protection Service.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
