Four died at Portugal’s beaches as the country celebrated the Portugal Day weekend with many families heading to the cool of the rivers and the sea as temperatures in many inland areas hit 40°C.
Two young men who were playing ball at Praia da Baía in Espinho, on the coast to the south of Oporto, were swept away by a wave as they entered the water to retrieve their ball. Both are still missing with no chance of finding them alive.
A friend of the 20-year-old victims, Daniel Costa, went into the water to try to save his comrades, but without success.
The disappearance of the young men who lived near Santa Maria da Feira, Aveiro, happened at the northern part of the beach.
Praia da Baía is one of the busiest in the area and is frequented by surfers, bodyboarders and hundreds of family groups. At the time of the incident, there were lots of people around but the sea was rough.
The bathing season officially starts on the 15th of this month - normally this means the start of lifeguard supervision, however, the beach where the accident happened was already supervised, as are many in the country, and already pressure is mounting to start the season earlier than traditionally and ensure lifeguard cover when the weather improves.
In the Aveiro district there was a second tragedy as two children - a girl of 14 years and a boy of 11 - disappeared in the early afternoon. The boy was recovered, lifeless, from the water. His sister was hauled out of the water and rushed to the Hospital in Aveiro, where she died.
The twin drowning happened at the Vouga river in Águeda, at a river beach area. The girl went into the river to try to save her younger brother who was in difficulties.
Águeda's deputy mayor, Jorge Almeida explained that the boy "was found dead" and that his sister, a 14-year-old girl, was rescued unconscious from the water, transported to the hospital with "very reserved prognosis", but also died.
Praia da Baía, Espinho
Vouga river in Águeda
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