54-year old man falls from cliff near Vale da Lapa beach

A 54-year-old man, who had fallen from a cliff into a shallow rocky area near the small beach of Vale da Lapa, on the coast of Lagoa, was rescued by a Ferragudo lifeboat team this Sunday.

The Portimão Maritime Police received the call at midday, from a bystander who had witnessed the fall. The situation was described as follows: “a person had fallen into a rocky area on the Vale da Lapa beach, in Lagoa, so the Captain sent a boat to the location. The Patrão Pedro Jorge Casimiro Cardoso Lifeboat was sent from”, explains the National Maritime Authority.

When the lifeguard team arrived at the scene, they found that the victim, a 54-year-old Portuguese man, had stumbled whilst walking, causing heavy leg trauma.

Once the man was stabilized he was transported by boat to an INEM medical team who were waiting for him onshore, who then took over in providing him with assistance. He was then transferred to an ambulance and transported to the Portimão Hospital.

The cliffs near Vale da Lapa beach are part of the Trail of the Headlands, a six-kilometre walk, inaugurated in 2018, from Carvoeiro to Ferragudo along the cliff tops. The route follows the rugged coastline of rocks shaped by the waves and wind, which has resulted in promontories, small cove beaches and the distinctive arches, caves, galleries, sinkholes and sea stacks which are prevalent along this part of the coast.

Tourists have been advised by local authorities to take care when walking in this area, as especially in the summer seasons, due to increased popularity of the route, it can become more dangerous to navigate.