The Algarve’s roads may have born witness to above average road accident fatalities this year but the beaches have remained relatively safe havens.
During the official bathing season, which ran between May 1 and October 15, the national figure for fatal incidents at Portuguese beaches was 11, according to the National Maritime Authority.
Four of these were on beaches supervised by lifeguards, five were at beaches that were not under the watchful eye of the lifeguard service and one was on an unsupervised beach just after the bathing season has finished and one was at another unguarded area.
The rescue services were busy though, successfully carrying out 322 rescue operations, and giving first aid 969 people. There were 36 searches for missing children, all of whom were located.
Of the 11 fatal accidents, only one was in the Algarve region, on September 11, at Fuesta-Mar beach on Armona Island in the municipality of Olhão.
The victim was a 54-year-old German national who got into trouble while swimming, was dragged from the sea after his wife gave the alarm, given first aid on the shore but died 12 hours later in Faro hospital. (HERE)
