Lisbon, Jan. 7, 2025 (Lusa) - Ferry operator Transtejo/Soflusa has ordered "the immediate opening of an internal inquiry" into the circumstances and responsibilities of the accident that took place on the River Tagus in Lisbon, involving a passenger ferry and a fishing boat.
Two people were injured in the accident and two are still missing after the search and rescue operation was called off on Monday evening due to darkness. The search will continue on Tuesday morning.
In a reply sent to the Lusa news agency, the company explains that at 4.55pm (on Monday afternoon) the catamaran "Antero Quental", which was travelling between Barreiro and Lisbon, was hit by a fishing boat.
The company adds that the ship's captain tried to avoid the collision, namely with several audible warnings, which were ignored by the fishing boat.
After the accident, Transtejo/Soflusa explains, the usual procedure in these circumstances was carried out, namely an alcohol test was carried out on the ship's captain by the authorities, "the result of which was 0.0g/l of alcohol in the blood".
However, adds the company, the board of directors has decided to immediately set up an internal inquiry to ascertain the circumstances and responsibilities of this occurrence.
Transtejo Soflusa, the company responsible for the river link between Seixal, Montijo, Cacilhas, Barreiro and Trafaria/Porto Brandão, in the district of Setúbal, and Lisbon, said that passenger transport on the Barreiro - Terreiro do Paço river link remains in operation and is running regularly.
According to the Captaincy of the Port of Lisbon, the search for the two missing people who were on the fishing boat that collided with the catamaran will continue "as long as possible".
"The tide is going to go down and the search will continue until we think there are adequate conditions," said the captain of the port of Lisbon, Paulo Rodrigues Vicente.
The sea captain, who also commands the Lisbon Maritime Police, was speaking to journalists at the harbour master's office about the balance of the rescue operations for the two injured and two missing people from a fishing boat that collided with a Transtejo-Soflusa passenger catamaran.
"We don't have a forecast in terms of hours [to search], we're going to see the conditions, we're going to hit the area, we're going to check all the areas near there," explained Rodrigues Vicente, adding that the "river has very special characteristics, it's not open sea, the current has a strong influence on the transport of people" and they're going to "take that experience and try to find these people".
The Maritime Police commander confirmed that it was the captain of the passenger boat that was travelling between Barreiro and Lisbon who alerted the police at 5.05pm that it had collided with a "smaller boat" with four occupants, two of whom were rescued near the Margueira pier and assisted by the Cacilhas fire brigade.
The two injured, one seriously and the other slightly, were taken to the Garcia de Orta Hospital in Almada.
Following the alert, "a boat from the local command of the Lisbon Maritime Police, a boat from the Lisbon Harbour Captaincy Life Saving Station and a boat from the Lisbon professional firefighters were immediately activated to the scene, as well as an Air Force helicopter.
According to the harbour master, an Air Force helicopter was "activated around 40 minutes after the accident" and the search will continue taking into account the "normal survival rates in the water".
Asked about the type of fishing boat, Paulo Rodrigues Vicente said that "it is a fishing boat, usually for clams", information that comes from the fact that, during the diving operations, because the boat capsized, "a hook and various fishing gear" were found that may indicate that "they were going to harvest clams".
"The channels that passenger transport boats use, both to Seixal and Barreiro, are crossed by many boats every day," said the harbour master, confirming that the collision took place within that channel.
GC/AYLS // AYLS
Lusa
