The National Maritime Authority have released a report stating that 16 people died on Portuguese beaches between May and August this year, 10 of them from drowning.
The bathing season officially ends at the end of September, but "four months into the 2025 Bathing Season, between May 1st and August 31st, the National Maritime Authority recorded 1007 rescues, 3561 first aid actions and 16 fatalities on Portuguese beaches," says the statement.
During the four months so far, five people died by drowning in unsupervised maritime areas: Douro River, at Cais de Gramido (Porto district), in Minho River, (Viana do Castelo district) and at Armação de Pera Beach, in the Algarve.
Outside the bathing season, in May, two children drowned on Pedrógão Beach (Leiria district), which was unsupervised at the time.
During the bathing season, three people died by drowning on supervised beaches: Praia de Carcavelos (Lisbon district), Praia do Titan (Porto district) and Praia Formosa, in Funchal, on Madeira Island.
The Maritime Authority also recorded four deaths due to sudden illness at Praia de Cabanas de Tavira and Praia de Monte Gordo, both in the Algarve and under surveillance.
At Praia do Porto de Mós, in Lagos, also in the Algarve region, one person died from a sudden illness and another in Setúbal, at Praia da Figueirinha, although both locations were under surveillance.
In the north of the country, on the beach of São Martinho do Porto, a person died from a sudden illness.
According to the Maritime Authority's report, one person died from unknown causes in the Douro River, in Montante Ribeira de Abade.
The National Maritime Authority advise the public to visit supervised beaches, highlighting that seven of the ten drownings occurred in unsupervised areas.
They also asks people to respect the displayed flags and beach watchers, including lifeguards, authorities, and other responsible officials and that "permanent surveillance of children" is necessary, highlighting the two children who died on Pedrógão Beach.
