Azores Situation Report Wednesday 10th May 2023

Azores break record for passengers disembarking at airports in April

Passengers disembarking at Azores airports in April recorded a new record that month, totalling 176,760, a higher figure than that recorded in 2019, prior to the covid-19 pandemic, according to data revealed by the Regional Statistics Service (SREA).

Compared to the same month in 2019, a period prior to the covid-19 pandemic and in which the Azores had broken a record of arrivals in April, with 147,252 passengers, there was a 20% increase.

According to SREA, all the islands of the Azores showed a “positive year-on-year change in passenger arrivals” in April, with the most accentuated ones in São Jorge (37.1%), São Miguel (28.2%) and Faial (26 .6%).

More than half of the passengers, 105,808 (59.9%), disembarked on the island of São Miguel, the largest in the archipelago.

It was among passengers coming from international flights that there was the biggest increase compared to the same period last year (65.7%), with 18,402 people disembarking at airports in the region in April.

The largest number of passengers disembarking in that month came from the Portuguese mainland or Madeira (86,298), a typology that recorded a year-on-year increase of 23.1%.

As for passengers on inter-island flights (72,060), they registered a growth of 17.7%.

According to SREA, the number of passengers boarded at Azorean airports also increased in April, to a total of 173,925 passengers, 24.3% more than in the same period last year.

Regarding the type of flight, there was “a positive year-on-year variation of 22.7% of passengers boarded on inter-island flights, 19.7% on territorial flights and 66.3% on international flights”.

Festivities of Santo Cristo begin this Tuesday with a preparatory triduum

The biggest religious festivals in the Azores, in honour of Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres, return in a pre-pandemic format.

After the pandemic, the Festivities of Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres resume today, in their normal format, with the preparatory triduum, with two novelties to be noted.

According to Sítio Igreja Açores, the departure of the image of Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres to the Church of São José immediately follows the sermon that will end the Procession of Changing the Image, together with a midnight Eucharist that will be presided over by the bishop of Angra, especially dedicated to Youth, are the two main innovations in the program of the feast of the Lord that starts today, with the preparatory triduum.

The spiritual preparation for the feast, held at the Igreja do Senhor Santo Cristo, for three days at 6 pm, will be preached by Father José Júlio Rocha, moralist theologian, assistant to the Diocesan Commission for Justice and Peace and member of the College of Consultants.

Cited by the Azores Church, in a press release, the rector of the Sanctuary of Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres, Adriano Borges, shows that, “during the pandemic, and after so many constraints, we tried to bring people closer to the image and changed some aspects of the format and the party program. This year, when everything returns to normal, when the pandemic is over and there are no more constraints, we have also returned to what was usual before, in essence”.

Tomorrow, after the triduum mass, there will be the launch of Armando Moreira’s book on Mother Teresa da Anunciada, whose film opens at 9 pm at Teatro Micaelense the following day.

On Friday, mass takes place in the Sanctuary at 8:00 am and 9:00 am. In addition, there will be a mass at 11:00 that will take place in the Church of São José, dedicated to the sick, with the sacrament of the holy anointing.

On Saturday there will be a special mass for the Brotherhood, inside the chapel of the Convent. Then, at 4:20 pm, the Procession of Change takes place, when the provider will ring the ‘Porta Rule’ so that the sisters can deliver the image that will remain in the custody of the brotherhood until the end of the Sunday procession.

This is followed by a solemn Te Deum by the choir of Santa Catarina da Horta, conducted by the Horta ombudsman, Father Marco Luciano Carvalho.

There will also be a sermon at the end and then the image will immediately go to São José, where at 7.30 pm a Eucharist will be celebrated for young people. The image will remain in the Church throughout the night, returning to the Shrine’s courtyard on Sunday for an open-air mass.

On Sunday, the outdoor mass will be at 9:30 am, broadcast by RTP Açores and RTP Internacional. Then, at 3 pm, the solemn procession will leave through the streets of Ponta Delgada, a four-hour tour that will end with the collection of the image to the lower choir of the Convent.

 

The Azores Situation Report Wednesday 3rd May 2023

Atlânticoline management wants to bet on the decarbonization of ships.

The nominee chairman of the board of directors of Atlânticoline, Francisco Bettencourt, pointed to the decarbonization of maritime passenger transport in the Azores as the company’s big bet in the future.

“Decarbonization is the future, it is our big bet”, said the administrator of the public company for maritime transport of passengers and vehicles in the archipelago, who was heard today at the Economy commission of the Legislative Assembly of the Azores, meeting in Angra do Heroísmo, following his nomination for chairman of the board of directors.

Francisco Bettencourt was referring to the “innovative bet” already announced in April by the regional secretary of Finance, Duarte Freitas, to order the construction of two electric ships to operate in the Triangle islands (Faial, Pico and São Jorge), to replace the current vessels, diesel powered.

Atlânticoline’s administrator, who has been a member of the Board of Directors for the last 12 months, and who is now proposed by the Government of the Azores (PSD/CDS-PP/PPM) for president of the company, recalled that fuel expenses currently represent quite high costs in the company’s structure.

As he explained, the public tender that the region intends to launch for the construction of future electric vessels should be ready in September or October, although there are still some doubts about how the batteries of the ships will be charged, especially in the ports of the island of Pico, where the scales for boarding and disembarking passengers and vehicles take only 15 minutes, as a rule.

Francisco Bettencourt expressed, on the other hand, satisfaction with the fact that the shipyards of Madalena do Pico, currently managed by Tecnovia, are being prepared to dock the Atlânticoline ships, so that they do not have to go to Lisbon for maintenance or certification.

The company’s administrator also highlighted the “good operating results” recorded in recent years, which made it possible to settle Atlânticoline’s debts and balance its treasury.

Pre-trial detention for two suspects of several thefts in São Miguel

Two men were held in pre-trial detention for being suspected of various crimes of theft on the island of São Miguel, in the Azores, including theft of goods vehicles allegedly used in robberies, revealed the PSP.

According to the Regional Command of the Azores of the PSP, in addition to those two men, the police detained, on the 26^th of April, a third suspect, who was left with “the measure of coercion of mandatory periodical presentations before the authorities”.

The PSP adds, in a press release, that the three men are 43, 42 and 29 years old, two of them with “criminal records”.

The arrests took place following several investigations “into various thefts of light goods vehicles” that have taken place on the island of São Miguel and which “have been widely referenced on social networks and through the media in the region”, explains the PSP.

In this specific case, the vehicles are stolen using “false keys” and the vehicles are later abandoned “in isolated places”, after having been “used to break into commercial establishments”, through “the rear of the vehicles hitting the doors” of the stores.

Also, according to the police, the suspects were transporting “tobacco vending machines” in their vehicles that they allegedly stole from inside establishments.

PSP investigations and the collection of evidence at the sites reveal that “the defendants are potential suspects of having been acting in collusion in several robberies of this type on the island of S. Miguel”, adds the police.

The PSP refers that the three men are suspected “of at least five crimes of aggravated theft, a crime of simple theft and several crimes of theft of vehicle use”.

But the police admit that the detainees may be associated with other similar robberies, under investigation, and that there may be more arrests of other defendants “related to the theft of vans on the island of São Miguel”.

Azores have 44 beaches and six Blue Flag marinas.

The 44 beaches awarded with the Blue Flag in the Azores archipelago are spread over ten different municipalities.

The Azores archipelago has 44 beaches this year – two more than in 2022 – and six marinas distinguished with the blue flag, spread over 10 municipalities of the archipelago, as announced yesterday by the Blue Flag Association of Europe.

Among the beaches distinguished with this symbol of environmental quality, there is a new bathing area, namely Calhetas da Maia, in the municipality of Ribeira Grande, and there are also records of two re-entries, one at Piscina do Carapacho and one at Praia, both located in Santa Cruz da Graciosa. There is also an exit, namely Prainha, located in Angra do Heroísmo.

It is on the island of São Miguel that most of the award-winning beaches are found, with the attribution of 19 blue flags of this nature.

In the municipality of Ribeira Grande, there are five distinguished bathing areas, namely Areal de Santa Bárbara, Poças da Ribeira Grande, Calhetas, Moinhos and Calhetas da Maia, as well as in the municipality of Ponta Delgada, where there is a blue flag in Forno da Cal, Milícias, Pópulo, Poços de São Vicente Ferreira and Poças Sul dos Mosteiros.
In Lagoa, there are three distinguished bathing areas, namely Caloura, Baixa da Areia and Zona Balnear da Lagoa, followed by Vila Franca do Campo, also with three distinguished bathing areas, Água d’Alto, Prainha de Água d’Alto and Vinha of Areia, respectively.

Also, in Povoação there are three awarded beaches this year, namely Portinho do Faial da Terra, Praia do Fogo and Morro.

The information provided also makes it known that on the island of Terceira there are 13 beaches distinguished with this flag, seven of which are in the municipality of Praia da Vitória and six in the municipality of Angra do Heroísmo, and on the island of Faial there are four awarded beaches.

As for the island of Graciosa, it now has four zones with the blue flag, the same as the island of Santa Maria.

With regard to the six Azorean marinas distinguished with the blue flag, the information states that these concern Marina da Horta, Marina da Praia da Vitória, Marina de Ponta Delgada, Marina de Vila do Porto, Núcleo de Recreio Náutico das Lajes do Pico and Sailing Nautical Recreation Nucleus.

In addition, three Ecotourism vessels also received the blue flag in the Azores, namely Terra Azul, Terra Azul I and Terra Azul III, all based in Vila Franca do Campo.

 

 

Azores Situation Report Wednesday April 26th 2023

Air Force rescues woman from sailing boat 

The Air Force announced that it had rescued, during the afternoon of Sunday, April 23rd, a 31-year-old woman, of French nationality, who was on board a sailboat in need of urgent health care.

Video Here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53ZqqBRpuqk&t=9s

An EH-101 Merlin helicopter, from Squadron 751 – “Pumas” in Permanent Detachment in the Azores, was activated in order to carry out the rescue 203 km from Lajes.

The sailboat crew member was successfully recovered and later transported to a hospital, after receiving the first health care while still on board the helicopter by the military nurse.

The Lajes Search and Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) was involved in this operation, in conjunction with the Ponta Delgada Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), of the Navy.

Government of the Azores inaugurates the pedestrian route of Ribeira da Agualva.

The Regional Secretary for Tourism, Mobility and Infrastructure, Berta Cabral, inaugurated, this Monday, the pedestrian trail “Walks of Agualva – On the Route of History”, in Praia da Vitória, Terceira Island, winning project under the Participatory Budget of the Autonomous Region of the Azores 2019.

For the Regional Secretary for Tourism, the footpaths of the Azores are iconic, and their landscapes constitute a significant part of the identity of the nine islands. They are an excellent way to explore the islands in depth and to experience a more direct contact with nature.

“The Azores are the perfect destination to experience throughout the year and on all islands, as they offer nature, adventure, and a rich history, combined with a very diverse built heritage. All this leverage contributes to the economic sustainability and social sustainability that our Region needs”, he underlined.

Berta Cabral made a point of recalling that the new PEMTA (Strategic Marketing Plan for Tourism of the Azores 2030) arose precisely from the need to safeguard “the cultural, historical and environmental dimension, in addition to the differentiated products of each of the nine islands in the promotion of the destination Azores”.

 “The Azores, it is never too much to mention, are a sustainable destination at an economic, environmental and social level. The Azores are a destination of nature”.

“The Azores already have the conditions to have tourism all year round and on all the islands, but we intend, with the new PEMTA, to consolidate our destination, which is recognized and awarded nationally and internationally”, emphasized Berta Cabral, for whom the archipelago has “differentiated products, all related to nature, with outdoor initiatives, which blossomed in the post-pandemic”.

The Regional Secretary for Tourism, Mobility and Infrastructure reinforced that the Azores cannot sell what they do not have or what they are not: “we have to sell our exuberant nature, capable of providing extraordinary and unique experiences and which arise because our people do make this possible”.

Trail Run Real Priolo with 750 participants. 

The third edition of the Trail Run Real Priolo, which will take place on the 29th in the municipality of Nordeste, has around 750 participants, the highest number ever, revealed the organization.

At a press conference at the Ponta do Sossego viewpoint, in the Northeast, Marco Moura, vice-president of the local council, said that registrations are already closed and that compared to 2022 there is an increase of 200 participants.

The organization of the race has the support of Centro Desportivo e Recreativo do Nordeste, in partnership with the Clube Desportivo e Cultural Juventude Ilha Verde and the Athletics Association of São Miguel.

At the time, it was revealed that the fourth edition of the competition, in 2024, will take place on April 27th.

 

Azores Situation Report Wednesday 19th April 2023  

Air Force rescues missing young woman in a kayak race in the Azores. 

A 16-year-old girl was rescued by the Portuguese Air Force (FAP), in Angra do Heroísmo, in the Azores, after being reported missing, “during a kayak test”, the organization revealed today in a press release.

According to the Air Force, the rescue, which took place on Saturday at 6:27 pm local time, on Terceira Island, “was ensured by the alert crew from the Azores via an EH-101 Merlin helicopter that arrived at the location of the searches at 18:10, after the alert of the disappearance of the young woman was given”.

“After being located and recovered, the young woman, who showed slight signs of hypothermia, was taken to Air Base No. 4, in Lajes, where an ambulance was waiting that transported her to a hospital unit”, said the FAP.

The operation “was activated by the Lajes Air Search and Rescue Coordination Centre and coordinated by the Ponta Delgada Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre”.

The Portuguese Air Force has assigned “a sea search and rescue area of ​​5,816,562 km², equivalent to more than half of the European territory, representing the second largest area of ​​responsibility in the North Atlantic”.´

Pretrial detention for robbery suspect in Ponta Delgada 

A man was held in preventive detention for being suspected of committing several crimes of aggravated theft, which occurred in the city of Ponta Delgada.

According to a statement from the Regional Command of the Azores of the PSP, last Tuesday, a 23-year-old man was arrested, with “a criminal record, strongly indicted for the practice of several crimes of aggravated theft, which occurred in Ponta Delgada, as a result of the result of analysis and treatment of the various signs that have been collected within the scope of various investigations taking place at the Ponta Delgada EIC”.

 PSP investigators developed a set of steps that allowed the “collection of evidence that unequivocally points this suspect as the author of three qualified thefts that he carried out inside commercial establishments”.

 The PSP also says that the “suspect acted alone, during the night, selecting establishments located in places with no movement of people. He entered establishments by breaking into doors and windows and acted exclusively with the aim of stealing monetary amounts”.

 In view of the danger that the defendant represented of continuing to commit crimes, the PSP decided “for his arrest using the procedural modality of out of flagrante delicto issued by the Police Authority”.

 The Ponta Delgada Criminal Investigation Squadron also adds that this defendant is suspected of committing other crimes of the same nature, so “investigations will continue in order to determine his, eventual, criminal responsibility”.

Azorean government defends “fair investment” of 20ME in the new school in Rabo de Peixe 

The President of the Government of the Azores praised the quality of the new Integrated Basic School of Rabo de Peixe, a “fair investment” of 20 million euros, and warned that it was necessary to monitor the “absenteeism” of school assistants in the region.

“There are 48 rooms in an area of ​​more than five thousand square meters of intervention and which had a budget that exceeded 20 million euros. It is a good structure and will help teachers with a teaching vocation and students with a learning vocation to find a qualified environment”, stated José Manuel Bolieiro.