Nine people were rescued after being swept away by waves on the beach in Vila do Conde on Sunday morning.
The victims included eight people attending kayaking lessons – seven students, minors and a teacher, 48 – as well as another person who was nearby and entered the water to try to rescue those at sea.
All nine are members of the Clube Fluvial Vilaculturale.
The teacher and students were kayaking on the Ava River, but they got too close to the exit of the bar. They were caught by the current and entered the surf zone, falling from their kayaks.
Another athlete who was at the scene of the incident nevertheless came to everyone’s aid, but in the end he also got into trouble.
Of the 9 victims, only five were taken to the hospitals of São João in Porto, Povoa de Varzim/Vila do Conde and Pedro Hispano in Matosinhos. A minor with hypothermia and a teacher with a dislocated shoulder.
The rest did not require hospital care.
Present at the scene were the marine police, the Vila do Conde firefighters, INEM, the “Os dolphins” rescue team, two psychologists, as well as the municipal police of Vila do Conde and even members of the PSP.
The lifeboat “Patrão Cego do Maio” was even activated with three crew members, but it was not needed as there was no need to conduct a search.
The group will spend approximately 45 minutes wrestling in the water.
At 10:44 a.m. Vila do Conde firefighters were alerted to a pre-flooding situation at Barra da Senhora da Guia beach.