Ria Formosa acdcident

25931

25931

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I've just seen a report about an accident that ocured before dawn yesterday.
A Policia Maritima patrol saw a boat fishing illegally off Faro. When the fishermen saw the PM they took off at high speed and during the chase the PM hit another boat in which were a father and son. The father was injured and lost consciousness and was taken to Faro. No more info. at the moment.
 
I suspect this has something to do with illegal fishing/theft of seahorses. TV news article a few days ago said PM would be increasing patrols at night after a car was pulled a few days ago heading for Spain with a large number caught in Ria.
 
From https://algarvedailynews.com/news/1...after-police-patrol-boat-rams-the-wrong-boat:

12 January 2018

Fisherman lies in coma after Police patrol boat rams the wrong boat

A Maritime Police patrol boat, chasing a fishing boat suspected of illegal fishing in the Ria Formosa, collided at speed with a second boat with two people on board, a father and his 40-year-old son.

The accident happened at 06:30 this morning in the Ria Formosa lagoon near Faro.

While the first boat escaped in the early morning darkness, a fisherman in the second boat was seriously injured and was rushed by ambulance to Faro hospital where he remains in critical condition.

The medics have issued a ‘reserved’ prognosis for the 65-year-old local who now is in an induced coma.

The Maritime Police team, having ploughed into the second boat, stopped to assist the two men and had to let the first boat go - it has yet to be identified.

A Maritime Police spokesman said that the service is "following closely the evolution of the situation, and has already sent a psychologist to the scene to support the fisherman's family and the operatives involved in the accident."

An inquiry will be held to establish how an innocent pair of fishermen ended up being rammed in the dark by a speeding patrol boat.
Click to expand...
 
It's not unreasonable for the police launch to navigate at night without lights, when operationally necessary. It's quite another matter for a fishing boat to not show lights.

It wouldn't surprise me if it turns out that the incident boat was also illegally fishing..
 
Ric said:
It's not unreasonable for the police launch to navigate at night without lights, when operationally necessary. It's quite another matter for a fishing boat to not show lights.

It wouldn't surprise me if it turns out that the incident boat was also illegally fishing..
Click to expand...

Quite so but in this case I would venture that public safety outweighs operational necessity. Nevertheless, I feel for the PM officers concerned.

When you refer to incident boat do you mean the target or the casualty?

If, as I think, you are referring to the casualty, then whether or not it was fishing illegally, is not relevant. In fact, you could say it is a red herring!

Is there any further news on the guy(s) in hospital?

All over illegal fishing or sea-horses; all very said
 
Last edited:
Ric said:
It's not unreasonable for the police launch to navigate at night without lights, when operationally necessary. It's quite another matter for a fishing boat to not show lights.

It wouldn't surprise me if it turns out that the incident boat was also illegally fishing..
Click to expand...

Most likely not commercial fishing boat, likely to be small open boat with hobby fishermen. High speed rib with pm in black wet gear and balaclavas would have been very difficult to spot in time to show light.
 
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