In a statement sent to the media, the National Maritime Authority confirms that five people were rescued this morning at the Paul do Mar pier in Calheta. The victims, aged between five and 28, are Portuguese nationals.
It reports that they were swept away by a wave that surged over the seawall in the Paul do Mar dock area.
The alert was issued at 9:35 am through the Madeira Regional Civil Protection Service. Immediately, personnel from the Funchal Local Maritime Police Command, crew members from the Funchal Lifesaving Station, as well as members of the Calheta Volunteer Fire Department, the Ribeira Brava and Ponta do Sol Humanitarian Firefighters Association, and SANAS Madeira were activated to the scene.
As reported by DIÁRIO, locals who were in the area managed to rescue the victims using lifebuoys from the dock.
Two people received on-site assistance from firefighters, and the remaining three were transported to a hospital.