All day today there have been photos on social media of people with no common sense dodging the waves in different areas of the island, with Praia Formosa highlighted on several occasions.
Two local people, a surfer of Portuguese origin and a Moroccan citizen, were “crucial” in rescuing the two young people who were in trouble in Praia Formosa .
The strong waves felt throughout the day, in practically the entire region, meant that two boys, aged 13 and 16, were swept away this afternoon and were unable to return to land, causing some distressing moments and mobilizing various means of assistance for that Funchal’s bathing area.
“They went to the water and then were unable to return to the beach. Two people jumped into the sea, the surfer ended up rescuing one of the young people who was in difficulty and taking him to land. And the second young man, plus the Moroccan citizen, ended up for being rescued by the Funchal Lifeboat Station vessel and taken to the Marina”, explained sea captain Rui Teixeira.
Watch the video of bathers challenging the waves at Praia Formosa
On this sunny and hot day, when many Madeirans and tourists take the opportunity to take a few walks by the sea, the strong surf at Praia Formosa continues to do its thing.
After the rescue, as the two young people showed signs of hypothermia, they were transported by members of the Portuguese Red Cross to a hospital unit.
In addition to the emergency services deployed by the Maritime Police, Red Cross and EMIR, the Magic Dolphin vessel also went to the location and provided all possible support, despite being very limited by the strong waves and therefore unable to get close to the victims.
“We were passing through Ponta da Cruz and were called on the emergency channel by the maritime authorities to help two people who were almost drowning in the area in front of the Hotel Orca Praia, so we turned back as quickly as possible”, began by telling Fábio Maia, one of the members of the maritime-tourist crew.
“When we arrived, we started shouting and asking them to swim out, because if they went to land they would get hit by a huge surf and, quite honestly, I don’t know if they would get away”, he explained, adding that at that time, when the waves reached a height of around three meters, a surfer also ‘jumped’ into the water to try to help the boys.
“The surfer, essentially, saved those two people. He risked his life for the boys’, without a doubt. That’s why he’s a hero”, stressed the sailor, who added that the success of the operation made everyone euphoric, including the passengers who were on board the catamaran and the multitude of people who gathered on the coast of Praia da Formosa.