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Algarve Situation Report Wednesday 14th May 2025

by Mike Evans

A very good day to you all, we have been reporting extensively on the situation regarding safety of people on the roads and the various campaigns that the GNR have been conducting over the past months against bad driving habits. Unfortunately, we have seen a number of fatal accidents happen across our region which highlights the fact that people still do not seem to be taking the subject of road safety seriously. With summer getting closer and the main roads across our region getting busier we can only hope that this trend does not continue to show an increase in deaths on our roads.

This will be the first summer where there will be no charges to travel along the A22 so we can expect more drivers using this road and if it is anything to go by when I travel along it on a regular basis there seems to be a distinct lack of concern for the speed limit. It is a fact that speed is a major factor in causing accidents on our roads and with more traffic around the chance of being involved in a collision is much more likely unless people start to adhere to the correct speed limits. Whether the tragedy of the 4 young people who lost their lives in Tavira at the weekend had anything to do with speed is not yet known but all of us at Safe Communities implore all drivers to slow down and drive carefully over the next months and years.

Now a look at what has been happening across the region over the past week or so.

4 Dead after Car falls into The River in Tavira

Four young people, two Germans aged 15 and 18 and two Portuguese aged 15 and 16, died on the night of Saturday, May 10, after the electric car they were travelling in fell into the Séqua/Gilão river, in Tavira.

When exiting a bend on National Road 397 (EN 397), the vehicle hit a tree, destroyed the rails and fell into the river. According to a source from the GNR, the vehicle was removed, with the occupants inside.

The young men were unable to get out of the Tesla for reasons that will be determined during the investigation. The doors were locked and they had to be freed by the Tavira Volunteer Firefighters, who when they were removed were already dead. The alert for the skid was given at 10:20 pm, when a motorist passed by the location and noticed that a vehicle was in the water.

The four fatal victims were taken to the Faro forensic office for autopsies. Twenty-one firefighters from Tavira, INEM, GNR and Civil Protection were on site, with the support of 11 vehicles. The Colégio Santiago Internacional, in Tavira, where three of the young people who died studied, today expressed its “absolute devastation” over what happened, asking for respect and privacy during the mourning period.

“The coming days and weeks will be immensely difficult for the families of the young people, as well as for their friends, teachers, assistants, and our entire school community in general,” said a source at the school, in a statement.According to the same source, three of the victims were students at the establishment and the fourth victim was the brother of one of the students, two of whom are of Portuguese nationality and the other two of German nationality, aged 15, 16 and 18, respectively.

“We therefore ask for maximum privacy and respect during the grieving process as we mourn our loved ones, since all students who attend our school are minors,” the note reads.

“As a community, at our school and in the city of Tavira, we are absolutely devastated by the tragic loss of these four lives,” the school concluded.

1 Dead and 2 Injured in Alcoutim Crash

One person died and two were injured as a result of a light vehicle skidding that occurred today on National Road 122, in Alcoutim .

According to the Algarve Regional Emergency and Civil Protection Command, the accident caused the death of a 57-year-old man and minor injuries to another man, aged 40, and a woman, aged 34, the latter of Timorese nationality. According to the same source, a helicopter from the National Institute of Medical Emergencies (INEM) was called, but the injured ended up being transported by ambulance to Faro Hospital.

The alert was given at 9:36 am, and the reasons for the passenger car’s skidding are still unknown.

Traffic was restricted on National Road 122, in the Pereiro area, until around 11:54 am.

The victim assistance operations involved a total of 15 Civil Protection elements , supported by six vehicles.

Man Arrested Suspected of Child Sexual Abuse in Portimão

The Judicial Police (PJ), through the Criminal Investigation Department of Portimão , arrested a 20-year-old man, suspected of at least eight crimes of sexual abuse of children and one crime of threat, perpetrated between March and the beginning of this month, with the victim being a 13-year-old girl. The investigation originated from the mother’s report of the child’s disappearance, which occurred at the end of last week.

After the activation of the PJ , yesterday, a set of investigations were found that allowed the location of the aggressor and the victim, near the residence of a relative of the suspect.

“However, relevant evidence was collected that would culminate in the arrest of the suspect, when he was found to be enticing the victim to escape again,” the police force said in a statement.

During the investigation, it was possible to determine that the victim had been lured and encouraged by the suspect to run away from home, and that during the period in which they were both at large, she had been subjected “to relevant sexual acts, in various places, including the public highway, an abandoned house with no habitable conditions and also in the home of the suspect’s relative where she was finally found”.

The detainee will be presented for the first judicial interrogation to apply the coercive measures considered certain. The Inquiry is headed by the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Portimão.

PJ Arrests Man Accused of Murdering Neighbour in Olhão

The Judicial Police ( PJ ), through the Southern Directorate, arrested, yesterday, a 37-year-old man, on suspicion of attempted qualified homicide, which occurred in the municipality of Olhão .

The victim is a 35-year-old man who was shot with a firearm, suffering injuries whose severity “posed a danger to his life”, leading to his hospitalization and induced coma in the intensive care unit at Faro Hospital.

The facts under investigation occurred on May 6, after the victim did not accept the couple’s presence in the house she had been occupying, following an inheritance transfer. “The suspect left the scene after committing the crime,” the police force said in a statement.

As a result of the investigations carried out, “relevant evidence” was collected, which led to the identification and seizure of the instruments of the crime, “with circumstantial evidence being provided that confirmed the identification and subsequent arrest of the alleged perpetrator”.

The suspect was brought before the competent judicial authorities for the purposes of the first judicial interrogation of the detained defendant and determination of the specific coercive measures, being subject to preventive detention.

The investigation is led by the Public Prosecutor’s Office, Department of Investigation and Criminal Prosecution of Olhão.

GNR seizes 1.7 tons of Hashish in Joint Operation with Guardia Civil

The Coastal and Border Control Unit (UCCF), through the Maritime Patrol Section of the Olhão Coastal Control Detachment , and in cooperation with the  Spanish Guardia Civil  , today, May 8, seized around 1,700 kilos of hashish, in the Guadiana River, between Portugal, and the south of Lepe, in Spain.

The operation began when the Civil Guard detected a high-speed boat entering the Guadiana River. “Given the situation, the GNR was asked to collaborate in approaching and intercepting the boat,” the police force said in a statement, adding that “the suspicious boat, equipped with four high-powered engines, fled towards Spanish waters, throwing bales of hashish into the sea. Although it was not possible to intercept the vessel”, the GNR seized 50 bales of narcotics, corresponding to around 1.7 tons, as well as a satellite phone.

The seizure took place in Spanish territorial waters, so the material collected was “handed over to the Spanish authorities”, and the investigation continues in Spain, under the coordination of the  Guardia Civil  .

Early Recruitment and Foreign Lifeguards Help Albufeira Beach Concessionaires

The use of foreign lifeguards, particularly from Brazil and Argentina, and the early recruitment of these professionals have allowed Algarve beach concessionaires to complete their teams in time for the bathing season.

The bathing season begins on Thursday in Albufeira , the Algarve municipality with the largest number of beaches, and several concessionaires have admitted that it continues to be difficult to recruit lifeguards, which is why they have invested in hiring these professionals in a timely manner.

Luís Martinho, from the Association of Industrialists and Similar Concessionaires of the Algarve Coastal Beaches (AISCOMA) points out as reasons for this difficulty “the lack of interest” of the Portuguese in the activity, because it is seasonal and also not recognized as a profession.

“A few years ago, we had young people looking for activities to occupy the three months of the summer school holidays, but the extension of the bathing season to six months has significantly reduced demand,” he noted.

According to the businessman, who also has concessions on several beaches in the Algarve, “it is not a profession with a guaranteed future and you cannot make a living from it all year round”. Even so, in the concessions he manages, he has managed to keep the same lifeguards for several years. “The protocol [from the Institute for Aid to Shipwrecked People] that exists with Brazil has helped, especially on the larger beaches, which work with associations, but even that only covers the bathing season,” he pointed out.

Luís Martinho predicts that the future may be complicated, defending the importance of valuing the profession so that more young people want to follow it. “If the profession is not recognized, it will be increasingly difficult to guarantee safety on our beaches”, he warned.

António Vaz, concessionaire at Praia dos Salgados, in Albufeira, said he did everything to ensure he would be prepared for the bathing season, having started looking for lifeguards in January, and now has a complete team with two lifeguards from Brazil.

However, recruitment is a “problem that affects all dealers”, he admitted, considering that each year “it is increasingly difficult”, especially in the Algarve, where there is “a big problem” with accommodation, due to the prices charged.

Jorge Azevedo, from the Albufeira Lifeguard Association (ANSA), stated that the problem with recruitment “remains the same as in other years, because there is less and less demand from young people for this activity”, with the added problem of there being those who work for one or two years and then stop working. However, the “problem has been alleviated” with the hiring of accredited professionals from Brazil and Argentina, two countries that have contributed “greatly to ensuring the safety of Portuguese beaches”.

In Albufeira, he adds, there is a different aspect, “because the municipality has a beach safety plan for the whole year, which means that some of them work all year round and do not have to become unemployed”.

The Portimão Water Rescue and Bather Assistance Association (Rocha Rescue) indicated that it has not faced any difficulties in hiring lifeguards, due to the early start of recruitment and the use of foreign professionals.

According to Nuno Fernandes, representative of the association, anticipation is “fundamental” and the contracting work “starts immediately after the end of the previous bathing season”, as the concessionaires’ integrated plans must be submitted by the end of March. The person in charge said that the exchange with Brazil “makes up for the lack of interest of the Portuguese in the profession”, since winter in Brazil coincides with summer in Portugal.

“So they work here for five or six months and return to work the rest of the time in their countries of origin,” he concluded.

2 Workers Rescued After Wall Collapsed in Albufeira

Two men were buried alive yesterday afternoon, when a wall collapsed at a construction site close to Praia da Coelha, in Albufeira. Both men were rescued alive and transported by helicopter to Faro Hospital, with serious injuries.

A source from the Algarve Regional Emergency and Civil Protection Command source confirmed that the victims were “conscious” and had vital signs when firefighters reached them, to remove them.

The emergency alert was given at 15:13 and at 18:00 there were still 35 operators and 13 vehicles on site, including teams from the Albufeira Fire Department, the National Institute of Medical Emergency (INEM), the Municipal Civil Protection of Albufeira and the GNR.

Albufeira Locals and Visitors Speak Out Over Tourist Mayhem

It’s been almost one year since the municipal council announced the creation of a Code of Conduct to control the cases of “excessive behaviour” in the town. The document was first announced back in 2019 but truly gained steam last summer when a group of eight British men were filmed naked in broad daylight at a local bar.

With the code of conduct still awaiting final approval, the town seems stuck in an endless loop of excessive behaviour at the town’s Oura district and old town nightlife area which authorities seem powerless to stop. In fact, local resident Paolo Funassi says the reality on the streets paints a far grimmer picture than the one that local authorities try to project.

“Nothing has changed in one year. In fact, I think things have become worse,” he told the Resident. “We continue to see cases of drunken violence, public nudity and even outdoor sex. Drug dealers are openly offering substances to people on the street, and there continues to be a lack of effective policing,” Funassi lamented.

Not even the CCTV surveillance network featuring 65 cameras which was unveiled in January seems to act as a deterrent to the increasingly rowdy behaviour.

According to Funassi – who runs the ‘Albufeira Paradise’ Facebook page, which has over 100,000 members – local residents are tired of seeing their town reduced to a stag party or hen do destination where ‘anything goes’.  e added that he was “ashamed” by the behaviour that he witnessed. In one case, he saw drunken tourists urinating next to the Maritime Police office.

These concerns come as the municipality prepares to finalise the Code of Conduct designed to restore order. The document, whose first draft included bans on street drinking, nudity, and public sex acts before undergoing a public consultation period, will be approved by the council next week. It will then head to the municipal assembly for a final sign-off, local mayor José Carlos Rolo said at the latest municipal assembly meeting on Monday (May 12).

Indeed, his frustrations have been shared by Scottish reader Stuart Currie, who emailed the Resident after staying in Albufeira in early May with his wife.

“We love Portugal, the people and Albufeira, having spent many holidays there over the years. Sadly, we have both come to the decision that we will not return to Albufeira,” wrote Stuart Currie. “In our opinion, the old town has lost its charm for families, couples and indeed elderly visitors.” He added that he was “ashamed” by the behaviour that he witnessed. In one case, he saw drunken tourists urinating next to the Maritime Police office. “Since returning to Scotland, we have spoken to our travel agent, and she has also confirmed that many visitors who have recently been to Albufeira have all complained about the same issues.”

Let’s all hope that the authorities are willing to crack down on these excesses so the tourist bubble does not burst on Albufeira.

Until the next time Stay Safe

 

Algarve Situation Report Wednesday 30th April 2025

by Mike Evans

Good day to you all and the big talking point is obviously the power outage we all experienced on Monday of this week. No doubt you have all been reading as much as there is to read about what actually happened and why it happened but from a personal point of view I would like to bring into the conversation the feeling of isolation which this sort of event brings to people. As someone who lives in a more rural part of the Algarve with very few immediate neighbours this feeling of isolation became quite intense as the day progressed and with no sign of the power returning. The lack of information as well as the mobile network not working did start to make me wonder what a prolonged outage would be like.

As a member of Safe Communities, I obviously had the basic essentials to hand but one thing which I have now seen as important is a transistor radio in order to hear what the rest of the world is doing. In doing some research I have found an inexpensive solar- windup radio is available for not too many euros. Which brings me onto the subject of Solar energy. Last July we took the plunge into the world of solar energy to take advantage of the 300 plus days of sunshine the Algarve offers. The system has been fantastic, cutting my electric bills by more than half. However, and this I have found is normal practice unless you stipulate beforehand with the installers, that if the grid goes down as it did on Monday the power that is stored in the solar battery does not come on automatically. As a result we ended up with a 12 hour wait without electricity when all the time I had a full battery which could have run the house for a minimum of 12 hours! So if you are in the same situation as me I would suggest you look into having a Back up Box fitted, so that for the future, and we can expect this issue to happen again, you will not be left in the dark!

Now a look at what else has been happening across the region in the past week.

Woman Missing in Monchique Found

A 79-year-old woman who had been missing since Sunday night in Monchique was found on Monday “with minor injuries”, a source from the GNR told Lusa .

According to a source from the Territorial Command of the National Republican Guard ( GNR ) in Faro, the elderly woman was found by soldiers from a binomial dog team (man-dog) at 11:45 on Monday, “fallen in a rural area, covered by brambles, in a state of shock and with minor bruises”.

“The lady was found in good health, although she was weak and had bruises, and required assistance at the scene, and was later transported to Portimão hospital for medical evaluation,” he specified.

The alert for the disappearance of the woman, of Italian nationality and resident in the town of Portela Baixa in that Algarve municipality, was given at around 6:25 pm on Sunday.

The searches began “immediately after” the disappearance was reported, with elements of the GNR and the municipal civil protection service of Monchique, with the support of ‘drones’ (remotely controlled unmanned aerial vehicle).

AMN Advises the Population on Good Safety Behaviour

The National Maritime Authority (AMN), with the weather forecast predicting good weather for the long weekend, advises the population to adopt safe behaviours when going to the beach or coastal areas, avoiding exposing themselves unnecessarily to risk.

Despite the good temperatures, the authority reports that the sea conditions at this time of year still present a high risk due to rough seas. The morphology creates areas of shallow water, steep slopes, whirlpools and pools of water on the beaches that are not properly signposted at this time of year.

Another point to bear in mind is the lack of surveillance on most Portuguese beaches at this time of year, which makes it slower to respond to a rescue situation.

Therefore, the National Maritime Authority recommends:

​​​​​Always supervise children and do not allow them to stray, always keeping them close to an adult;

Avoid risky behaviour, do not turn your back on the sea and always maintain a safe distance from the waterline, to avoid being surprised by a wave;

Respect beach signage and the instructions given by lifeguards, law enforcement officers and those who reinforce surveillance on the beaches;

If you witness a dangerous situation in the water, do not enter and call 112 for help.

Pleasure Craft Sinks Near the Culatra Harbour

A pleasure boat sank last night, April 27, after allegedly hitting a submerged object when leaving the Porto de Abrigo da Culatra, with two crew members on board. Following an alert received at 9 pm, through the Lisbon Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC Lisboa), elements of the Local Command of the Olhão Maritime Police , crew members of the Olhão Lifeguard Station and elements of the Olhão Municipal Fire Department were activated to the location.

“Upon arrival at the scene, it was found that the two crew members of the vessel had already been rescued by an auxiliary vessel that was nearby, and were physically well, without needing medical assistance,” reports AMN .

The crew of the Lifeboat Station, in collaboration with the firefighters and a boat that was on site, carried out manoeuvres to remove the water from the partially submerged vessel. “With the rising tide it was not possible to reverse the situation and the vessel ended up sinking, and the Captain of the Port of Olhão issued a Notice to Local Navigation”, he explains.

The owner of the vessel has been notified that he must submit a plan for the removal of the vessel. The Local Command of the Maritime Police of Olhão took charge of the incident.

Sea Brigade Decontaminates Beaches in the Algarve

The Sea Brigade was in the Algarve between the 24th and 28th of April and removed 2500 kilos of waste from the sand, between Barrinha and Almargem beach. Although the rising tide made the decontamination operation difficult, “the operation went as planned and we managed to remove a large amount of waste,” says Simão Acciaioli, who is responsible for the organization. “In January, we were on the Algarve coast and found a lot of rubbish in Barrinha and Ancão, so we came here now to decontaminate the area,” he explains.

The waste was left outside the sand by the Sea Brigade team so that it could be collected by the municipal council services and sent for treatment.  In terms of volume, most of the waste comes from fishing activities, with tangles of rope standing out. In terms of quantity, buckets (480), new ones (149) and fuel drums (102).

The cleaning action, made possible thanks to the collaboration of all entities involved in the authorization process, including local authorities, captaincies, ICNF and FAGAR, allowed the Sea Brigade to also reconnoitre the island of Armona, with the aim of carrying out decontamination after the summer. “The quantity and size of waste found in Armona is worrying and justifies our return to the Algarve”, concludes Simão Acciaioli.

The Sea Brigade is a non-governmental organization for development (NGOD) made up of volunteers. Since 2009, it has been developing actions to protect biodiversity and environmental intervention, with a special focus on decontamination and cleaning of beaches along the Portuguese coastline outside concession areas.

Under the motto “indignation with action”, the association has already cleaned more than 1,700 linear kilometers of coastline in Portugal and removed more than 1,000 tons of garbage from the sand.

Prosecutor Calls For 5 Year Sentence for Man who Killed His Father

Yesterday, the Public Prosecutor’s Office asked the court to apply a five year prison sentence to the young man, accused of stabbing his father to death in a village in Tavira, in an alleged context of domestic violence. During the closing arguments, the MP prosecutor said he considered that Maurício Cavaco should be convicted of simple homicide with special mitigation, taking into account the special regime for young people, the absence of a criminal record, the fact that he confessed to the crime and that he sought psychological treatment.

Maurício Cavaco was 19 years old when the crime took place in December 2023 at the family home, in the village of Várzea do Vinagre, Santa Catarina da Fonte do Bispo, in the district of Faro. The young man allegedly intervened to defend his mother from an episode of domestic violence, stabbing his 63 year old father to death.

The judge said he understood that it was not proven at trial that the crime was committed in self-defense, also ruling out the possibility that the defendant was not responsible, as suggested by the first psychiatric assessment, carried out one month after the crime, having stated that he considered the second assessment to be more valid.

After this examination, the specialist at Faro Hospital diagnosed the accused with “post-traumatic stress, depressive disorder and anxiety disorder”, based on “a series” of emotional and affective instabilities. According to the expert, at the time of the crime, the “self-defense situation” implied “the reduction in the assessment of the consequences of an aggression of such caliber” and “the complete nullification of the assessment of the unlawfulness” of the act.

However, the MP prosecutor stated that he understood that the young man was capable of distinguishing what was right from what was wrong, having acted of “free will” and consciously, and argued that there were “contradictions” in the conclusions of that expert report, whose scientific validity he questioned.

The judge also ruled out the possibility of this being a privileged homicide, supported by the Defense and which, according to the Penal Code, occurs when someone kills “dominated by an understandable violent emotion, compassion, despair or a reason of relevant social or moral value, which significantly diminishes their guilt”

Stating that it was proven that the young man acted in an “unequivocal context” of violence, the prosecutor considered, however, that “there are no signs to consider that at the time of the crime Maurício acted to defend his mother from an imminent and violent attack that could cause her death”.

Defense attorney Elisabete Romão had a different opinion, as she harshly criticized the way the Judiciary Police conducted the investigation and, in an emotional speech, questioned the jurors and the audience about what they would do in a similar situation, after years of “humiliating daily behaviour” and a lack of affection. “It is such a desperate act that we would all commit that crime in those circumstances,” she argued, adding that she believes the victim managed to convict his own son twice, doing everything to “turn a good child into a murderer.” The lawyer recalled that the young man still speaks of his father in the present tense and feels persecuted by him, “such is the disturbance” to which he was subjected.

According to Elisabete Romão, Maurício’s father “managed to manipulate a family”, to the point that, in court, the young man’s mother practically “excused” her husband, even after having been subjected to humiliating and violent behaviour for several years and frequently receiving death threats.

“In order to know if there was violent emotion, we would have to hear every day ‘he’s going to kill me’, ‘I’m going to kill myself’, ‘he’s going to kill us’. Until we are able to feel these words every day, only then will we be able to know what Maurício would have felt that day”, she claimed.

The reading of the ruling to the young man, who is under house arrest at his aunt’s house, was scheduled for May 14th at 4:00 pm, at the Faro Court.

Four Injured as Car Overturns on Algarve’s A22 motorway

Four people – including a 12-year-old child – were injured when a car overturned on the Algarve’s A22 motorway in Albufeira on Sunday morning (April 27).

The car was travelling in the Albufeira-Faro direction when it overturned at around 11.30am before the slip road that provides access to the A2 motorway to Lisbon, reports national tabloid Correio da Manhã. This is usually a very busy stretch of the motorway, particularly on days like yesterday when waves of tourists visiting the Algarve return home after a long weekend. Three people suffered serious injuries, including the driver who had to be extricated from the vehicle, while the 12-year-old child sustained minor injuries. All four were taken to the hospital by Albufeira firefighters and INEM emergency services.

The accident formed huge queues for several kilometres in both directions, as traffic was diverted to the motorway’s shoulder before returning to normal about an hour later.

GNR police are investigating the cause of the accident, according to CM.

Until the next time, have a safe week.

 

Algarve Situation Report Wednesday 23rd April 2025

by Mike Evans

A very good day to you all and we at Safe Communities hope you had a safe and enjoyable Easter. As the weather seems to be turning to something we have come to expect in late April, and minds turn to spending time on the beach and in the Ocean we would remind you all to be very aware of the temperature of the sea around our coasts at this time of the year. It is very cold and the average for this time of year is around 15 to 17 degrees centigrade so it is a lot chillier than during the summer time. Here are a few hints to be safe while swimming in the sea. Always check for warning flags and follow safety signage.

Never swim where a sign says not to e.g. in zoned areas for jet boats or jet skis.

Be mindful of underwater hazards, such as reefs, rocks, sudden changes in depth and marine life, and only dive where it is permitted to do so.

Even if you regularly swim in a pool, don’t forget that open water swimming can be much more challenging.

Get advice from your holiday provider about the best local beaches to go to and if there’s anything that you need to be aware of, especially dangerous currents or rip tides.

We have seen instances of these rip tides more and more along our coastline. A rip current is a narrow, fast-moving channel of water that starts near the beach and extends offshore through the line of breaking waves.

Spotting a rip current can be difficult, and really needs some practice. But when you go to the beach, start off by staying back from the water. Rip currents are easier to see at an elevated position, like a dune line or beach access, and then look for places where waves aren’t breaking, so flat spots in the line of breaking waves. And then also where there’s maybe foam or sediment in the water being transported away from the beach offshore.

Rip currents can occur anywhere you have breaking waves, like large sandy beaches on the open ocean. But they can also occur where you have hard structures, like jetties, or piers, or even rocks jutting out into the ocean.

If you do get caught in a rip current, the best thing you can do is stay calm. It’s not going to pull you underwater, it’s just going to pull you away from shore. Call and wave for help. You want to float, and you don’t want to swim back to shore against the rip current because it will just tire you out. You want to swim out of the rip, parallel to shore, along the beach and then follow breaking waves back to shore at an angle.

Now a look at some of the stories from across our region this week.

Civil Protection Raises Awareness Among Rural Population about Fire Prevention

Loulé City Council has once again implemented its awareness and public information plan within the scope of Forest Fire Protection, during the months of February, March and April.

The Municipal Civil Protection Service, the Municipal Fire Brigade of Loulé, the National Republican Guard and the Parish Councils promoted an awareness-raising action close to the population, in the parishes of Alte, Salir, Union of Parishes Querença, Tôr and Benafim and Ameixial.

The action aimed to clarify doubts and involved the distribution of explanatory leaflets on how to proceed in relation to burnings, as well as the requirement for prior communication to carry them out. The population was also informed about the cleaning of a 50-meter strip around isolated homes and 100 meters for population clusters.

The initiative also aimed to raise awareness among the population about the importance of adopting preventive and forest management practices capable of minimizing the risk of forest fires and safeguarding the safety of the population, as civil protection begins with each one of us.

Sea Snails Carrying Dangerous Toxin Found in Algarve Waters

Researchers from the University of the Algarve are warning that sea whelks caught off the Algarve coast may carry a dangerous toxin that could be poisonous and potentially fatal to vulnerable people if the molluscs aren’t properly prepared before being eaten.

Researchers from the university’s Centre for Marine Sciences (CCMAR) found that 76% of the 25 whelks they tested – caught between November 2021 and October 2022 –  contained levels of tetrodotoxin – a powerful neurotoxin more commonly found in pufferfish – above the maximum limit considered safe by the European Food Safety Agency.

Popularly known as ‘buzina’, these palm-sized sea snails are often used in local dishes like ‘feijoada’ (a bean stew). But researcher Sandra Lage warns that eating them without first removing the toxic innards properly could be risky, especially for children or older adults. In high doses, the toxin can cause serious health problems, including breathing difficulties and even death.

Present in pufferfish and well-known in Asian countries, where “there have been many reported cases of people dying” from its consumption, tetrodotoxin “is an emerging toxin” in Europe, which “is not currently regulated or monitored in the European Union, because it was only recently discovered” on European territory, the researcher told Lusa news agency.

The study, published in the journal Food Control, was based on a year-long sampling project and was carried out as part of a master’s thesis by student Maria Pais. Though the source of the contamination isn’t fully understood, scientists suspect the toxin may come from bacteria passed through the whelks’ food, such as starfish. However, only one of the 25 starfish caught in the same areas tested positive for the toxin, so the exact cause is still unclear.

“This toxin is known to be produced by bacteria. And we know that it didn’t exist here in the past. But the vector that led to the contamination of the whelks is still being studied. We know that the starfish is a potential vector, but there may be other types of prey that this variety eats, because it’s a carnivore, an opportunistic carnivore,” she argued.

The good news is that the dangerous toxin was only found in the whelks’ internal organs – not in the edible muscle. Still, handling them properly is crucial. Boiling or freezing doesn’t destroy the toxin, and safe consumption depends on completely removing the guts before cooking.A new research project is now underway to investigate exactly how the whelks became contaminated. Work on that study is expected to begin later this year.

Until then, experts advise caution when preparing or eating buzina.

2 Road Accidents cause Injuries in Portimao

Two men were injured following two different accidents yesterday afternoon, Tuesday April 15th, in Portimão. The alert for the first accident was given at 3:24 pm, which was a collision between a car and an electric scooter at the Cardosas roundabout, resulting in minor injuries to the 55 year old driver of the electric scooter. Ten members of the Portimão Fire Department and PSP rushed to the scene to help the injured party.

The second accident between two cars occurred only shortly after, on a stretch of the Monchique road, at the Port of Lagos. Seven members of the Portimão Fire Department, Red Cross, GNR and EMARP attended the scene. One of the drivers, a 37 year old man, was taken to Barlavento Hospital with minor injuries.

Finally with the celebrations of April 25 happening across the region here are a few places where you can catch these celebrations.

Albufeira will mark the 51st anniversary of the Carnation Revolution with a diverse programme that spans several locations throughout the municipality. The celebrations begin on the eve of the historic date, with a concert by Luís Represas at the Albufeira Municipal Auditorium, on the evening of 24th April, at 9:30 pm.

The author of hits such as “Da Próxima Vez” and “Perdidamente” brings to Albufeira a summary of the most memorable moments of his long career. In addition to songs released by the group Trovante, Luís Represas is also expected to perform the main highlights of his solo repertoire. Tickets for the show cost 5 euros and are available at Galeria Municipal João Bailote and at Bilheteira Online (BOL) . Tickets will also be sold at the event venue on the day itself.

Luís Represas’ concert is part of the program of celebrations for the 51st anniversary of the revolution that overthrew the Salazar regime in Portugal, which also includes several other initiatives in different parts of the city.

The celebrations continue on April 25th with a range of activities for all ages. The morning starts at 8:00 am with the start of the National Duathlon Club Championship, at the Ferreiras Parish Council, with the finish line scheduled for 2:00 pm at the Nora Stadium. Also on the sports front, the João Campos Stadium in Paderne will host the 2nd round of the Dolphins Championship. The initiative involves around 200 children up to the age of 8, and aims to promote sports ethics through football matches.

Between 12:00 and 20:00, Vale Faro Park, in Albufeira, will be the stage for music and entertainment with performances by Nuno Balbino and the group Ban’dalila, in an initiative promoted by the Parish Council of Albufeira and Olhos de Água.

Portimão once again celebrates the 25th of April with a programme for all ages, which values ​​the principles of Freedom, Democracy and Participation. This year, the highlight is the reopening of the Parque da Juventude, scheduled for 3pm on Saturday, 26th April, after a year and a half of extensive refurbishment.

With around 15 thousand square meters, the facility has been renovated with new areas for enjoyment, informal sports and socializing. The reopening will be marked with exhibitions of BMX, skateboarding, basketball, futsal, musical entertainment with DJs and live bands.

The celebrations begin on the eve of the holiday, Wednesday, April 24, with the concert celebrating the 20th anniversary of the band “Os Azeitonas”, at 9 pm, at Portimão Arena.

On the 25th of April, the official celebrations begin with the raising of the flags at 9am in Praça 1.º de Maio, accompanied by the National Anthem performed by the Banda Filarmónica Portimonense and the Fanfarra dos Bombeiros Voluntários de Portimão, followed by a procession and the release of pigeons. At the same time, the 18th Corrida da Liberdade will take place in the riverside area, with a 10-kilometre race, a five-kilometre walk and competitions for children.

At 10:30 am, the Main Hall of the Town Hall will host the Solemn Session Commemorating the 51st anniversary of the 25th of April, with speeches by representatives of the parties with seats in the Municipal Assembly, the President of the Municipal Assembly, Isabel Guerreiro, and the President of the Municipal Council, Álvaro Bila.

In the afternoon, at 3 pm, the signing ceremony of the Program Contracts with the Associative Movement will take place. At 5:30 pm, the sculpture “Renascer como a Ave Fénix” (Reborn as the Phoenix Bird), by artist Linda Sousa, will be inaugurated next to the Rotunda dos Três Castelos — a work donated to the city that symbolizes resilience and renewal.

Throughout the day, between 10 am and 6 pm, the Gonçalo Ribeiro Telles Garden is transformed into a space for creative freedom with the event “April in the Garden”, through different artistic workshops — murals, collages, sculpture and painting —, live music, a baby space, themed face painting and a community picnic area.

The program also includes exhibitions and other cultural initiatives, such as the exhibition “41 Newspapers of April 25, 1974/1975”, on display from April 22 to 26 in the lobby of the Manuel Teixeira Gomes Municipal Library, which brings together historical editions of the national and regional press before and after the Carnation Revolution.

The municipality of Vila Real de Santo António will celebrate Freedom Day with a diverse programme that includes institutional moments, sporting activities, cultural initiatives and a musical show that promises to fill Praça Marquês de Pombal.

The day begins with the traditional raising of flags and the distribution of carnations, followed by a procession with a brass band and a release of pigeons. During the day, exhibitions and evocative sessions will also be held, providing an atmosphere marked by “strong community participation and a tribute to the values ​​of freedom and democracy”, as can be read in the press release.

The highlight of the celebrations will be at 9:30 pm, with the commemorative concert “The Village Sings to Freedom”, at Praça Marquês de Pombal. This special show marks the 51st anniversary of the Carnation Revolution and will feature renowned local artists: Henrique Fernandes and Susana Travassos (vocals), André Oliveira and André Ramos (guitar), Luís Horta (piano), Mário Sousa (drums) and Ricardo Cordeiro (bass). Admission is free. The concert revisits iconic songs from the revolution, offering an emotional tribute to freedom and the music that marked the country’s history. More than just a show, it will be a moment of encounter between generations, where culture serves as a bridge between the past and the present.

The celebrations begin at 8:00 am, with the raising of flags at the parish council offices, culminating at the Town Hall. At 10:45 am, Praça Marquês de Pombal will be the stage for the Corridas da Liberdade, an initiative that unites sport and citizenship. At 11:00 am, the António Aleixo Cultural Centre will host the Municipal Assembly’s Commemorative Ceremony. In the late afternoon, at 5:00 pm, the West Zone of Monte Gordo will host a dance with the Gerações Group. The programme also includes several cultural initiatives, such as the exhibition “For Peace, for April” and the poetic-musical show “Freedom – the Law, the Rule – 1975/2025”, which will be hosted by Afonso Dias, on 22 April, at 6:00 pm, at the Municipal Library.

On April 24th, at 6 pm, another session of the «Archive between Stories» will take place at the Municipal Historical Archive, with João Pereira leading the conversation on the theme «Records of political prisoners from Baixo Guadiana during the Estado Novo».

The April 25th celebrations are promoted by the Vila Real de Santo António City Council and aim to involve the entire community, in an atmosphere of celebration, reflection and affirmation of the values ​​of April.

If you are visiting any of these events please stay safe.

 

Algarve Situation Report Wednesday 16th April 2025

by Mike Evans

Good day to you all and as we start the Easter celebrations, the warning I gave last week of the clamp down on Drink Driving doesn’t seem to have reached the ears of the general public. Across the country, 307 people  were arrested between last Friday and this morning (the first three days of ‘Operation Safe Easter’ which runs until April 21): 179 for road crimes, 104 for drink-driving and 75 for driving without a license. The PSP reports that 3,941 drivers were “inspected and 13,008 vehicles were checked by radar, resulting in 1,231 administrative offences”. A total of 283 notices were issued for speeding, 109 for missing the mandatory periodic inspection (IPO), 49 for not having insurance, 46 for driving under the influence of alcohol, 26 for using a mobile phone while driving and seven for not wearing a seatbelt.

Between Monday and today, the GNR inspected a further 7,264 drivers (28,339 in total during the operation), and 44 were driving under the influence of alcohol, 26 for using a mobile phone while driving and seven for not wearing a seatbelt. As for road accidents, 375 accidents were recorded in these first three days of the campaign, resulting in 125 injuries: four serious, 121 minor and no fatalities (this has since been updated by data from the GNR, rural area police, which recorded 620 accidents, involving two fatalities and 17 serious injuries). In total, the GNR arrested 201 people for driving with a blood alcohol level equal to or greater than 1.2 g/l and 103 for driving without a legal license.

Of the 4,966 traffic violations detected, the GNR highlights 1,323 for speeding, 313 for excessive alcohol consumption and 138 for lack of or incorrect use of seat belts and/or child restraint systems (CRS). There are 150 for improper use of cell phones while driving, 676 for lack of mandatory periodic inspection and 200 for lack of mandatory civil liability insurance.

Whilst this is the situation across the country  it does show that the way people drive is still an issue and we encourage people to drive carefully not just over the Easter period but at all times.

Now a look at what has been happening across the region this past week.

Algarve Reservoirs Reach their Capacity

The average storage capacity of the six reservoirs that serve the Algarve is at 88% of their total capacity, a record percentage that is unlikely to be repeated in the coming years, according to the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA). “These numbers from the Algarve are a record,” an official source from the APA told Lusa.

The same source emphasises that “now is the time to put all our energy into implementing water resilience projects to prepare the region for the coming years, because this year, let no one have any doubt, was truly an exception.”

The APA recalls that in the last 12 years, rainfall in the Algarve region was below average by around 25-30%, which worsened from 2019 onwards, to 45%.

According to the figures provided, the volume of water stored in the Algarve’s six reservoirs is 393 hm3 (cubic hectometres), which corresponds to 88% of the total capacity.

In Sotavento (east), the Odeleite dam is now at 97% of its capacity (126.50 hm3) and the Beliche dam at 92% (44.32 hm3).

In Barlavento (west), the Odelouca dam has 90% of its capacity (141.46 hm3), the Arade dam 72% (20.31 hm3), the Bravura dam 60% (20.73 hm3) and the Funcho dam 83% (39.59 hm3).

Compared to the same period in 2024, there was an increase of approximately 194 hm3 of stored water: 83 hm3 in Sotavento (corresponding to 43%) and 111 hm3 in Barlavento (corresponding to 57%).

On 14 March, the Government announced an easing of restrictions on water consumption in Faro, with the imposition of 5% reductions on agriculture, the urban sector and tourism.

A22 Shut for 8 Hours Due to Accident

The A22 (Via do Infante) was reopened in the Loulé- Faro direction after a traffic interruption of more than eight hours, due to a goods truck skidding.

Via do Infante reopened to traffic at 2:34 pm,on the 10th April,  the time needed, according to Civil Protection, to remove and clean the affected section.

The truck, which was carrying boxes of clothes that were scattered on the road, skidded off the road without causing any injuries, with the alert being given at 5:35 am, reported a source from the Algarve Sub-Regional Command.

The accident took place between the Loulé-centro and Loulé-sul junctions, in the west-east direction of the motorway that connects Lagos and the border with Spain at Castro Marim/Vila Real de Santo António.

A total of 16 firefighters, GNR and personnel providing assistance on Via do Infante were involved in the incident, supported by eight vehicles.

Vehicle Travels Wrong Way on A22 Causes Crash

A light vehicle that entered the wrong lane on Via do Infante (A22) today collided with another, in Albufeira , causing five injuries, all minor. Rescue teams received the alert at 10:25 am, reporting a collision, at kilometer 49 of the motorway, in the direction of Albufeira-Spain, in the municipality of Albufeira.

A source from the Algarve sub-regional command explained that, as a result of the accident, “five victims were assisted, but none of them were transported to a hospital unit”.

The same source added that the five injured were four occupants of one of the vehicles, an 80-year-old man and three women aged 74, 48 and 13, of Portuguese nationality, and the driver of the other light vehicle involved, of German nationality, aged 90. The source highlighted that one of the vehicles was travelling in the wrong direction, stating that this information came to the attention of the emergency teams through the call made to 112 asking for help and was later confirmed on site by the firefighters.

A source from the Public Relations Department of the Faro Territorial Command of the GNR said that the vehicle that entered the wrong way was driven by “a woman of foreign nationality”. The other injured people are the occupants of the other vehicle that was involved in the accident, he added. A team of five vehicles and 12 personnel, including members of the Albufeira Fire Department, the GNR and the A22 concessionaire, were on site to provide assistance.

Train Access Platforms in the Algarve Raised and Standardised

Infraestruturas de Portugal ( IP ) has completed work to raise and standardise train access platforms at 17 stations and stops on the Algarve railway line. The work carried out also provides an “improvement in access conditions to trains for people with reduced mobility”, highlighted Infraestruturas de Portugal in a statement, quantifying the investment made at more than five million euros.

“Infraestruturas has completed the work to raise the passenger platforms at the stations on the Algarve Line”, reported IP, clarifying that the interventions carried out ensured the “standardisation of the elevation of the platforms at the stations” of trains that serve the route between Lagos and Vila Real de Santo António.

The work carried out allowed “the improvement of passenger access conditions to and from the train, especially for people with reduced mobility”, he explained.

IP highlighted that “several improvements were also made for users of public rail transport” who now have better “comfort and safety conditions at stations”.

Passengers will find “important improvements in terms of shelters, street furniture and public lighting”, the company indicated, highlighting that “fencing was reinforced and repaired and bilingual signage was renewed”, in Portuguese and English. “The work was carried out in phases, in order to minimize the impact on service levels, with a total of 17 stations and stops being worked on.”

Faro Municipal Police Begins Activity with Community Policing

The Faro Municipal Police began its activity this Tuesday, with the inauguration of the operational headquarters, which will be installed in the space of the former Chocolate café, in Praça da Liberdade (Pontinha).

The municipal police force, which will work in conjunction with the PSP and GNR, will have as its main mission the promotion of security and protection of the well-being of the population, including islands.

Currently operating with a staff of 10 officers, it will work on a single schedule with the prospect of working “24 hours a day” in the future.

At this stage, the functions of the Faro Municipal Police will involve a focus on “proximity and visibility” policing, particularly in terms of events, commerce, schools and

the most vulnerable population (elderly and children). The local authority stresses that, over the coming months, the police force will take on new tools and functions, namely road inspection and municipal regulations.

The municipality of Faro is also running an external competition for the admission of new municipal agents, and should eventually have a staff of 30 agents.

With plenty of Easter Celebrations across the Algarve please remember not to Drink and Drive and Stay Safe. Until the next time….