The Algarve Situation Report Thursday 9th January 2025
by Mike Evans
A very warm welcome to this the first Algarve Report of 2025. To those receiving this for the first time this report highlights events and news items which have happened across the region in the past week or so which are of interest to those of us who are concerned with safety and security. If you feel there are other topics you would like to know about please let us know by email and we will try our best to make this report relevant. As with most starts of the year we are reviewing the latest stats regarding the incidence of road accidents and deaths on the roads across the whole country with some special emphasis on the Algarve region.
CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR ROAD ACCIDENT STATISTICS
Across the country as a whole there were Fewer accidents but more deaths on the roads during Christmas and New Year. Road safety authorities recorded 5,499 accidents on Portuguese roads during the Christmas and New Year period, which caused 25 deaths and 115 serious injuries, fewer accidents but more deaths and injuries than in the previous year .
Between December 18, 2024 and January 2, 2025, 502 fewer accidents were recorded than in the previous same period, but there were five more fatalities, eight more serious injuries and 13 more minor injuries (1,692), the National Road Safety Authority ( ANSR ), the PSP and the GNR recently announced in a joint statement to take stock of the road safety campaign “The best gift is being present”.
According to the data released, compared to the same period in 2023/2024, road accidents saw a 25% increase in the number of fatalities, a 7.5% increase in the number of serious injuries and a 0.8% increase in the number of minor injuries, but a decrease of 8.4% in the number of accidents.
The 25 fatalities resulted from accidents in the districts of Aveiro (two dead), Beja (one dead), Braga (two dead), Castelo Branco (one dead), Faro (three dead), Guarda (one dead), Leiria (three dead), Lisbon (six dead), Porto (one dead), Santarém (two dead), Setúbal (two dead) and Viseu (one dead). In the accidents with fatalities, skidding predominated, involving eight light vehicles, seven motorcycles, one quad bike and one agricultural vehicle.
There were also six collisions, involving nine light vehicles, two motorcycles and two bicycles, as well as three run-overs, involving the same number of light vehicles and resulting in three deaths. Of the 25 fatalities, 21 were male and four were female, aged between 19 and 76, the data show.
END OF TOLLS ON A22 FINALLY ARRIVES
After almost 14 years of fighting against tolls on the A22, the existing gantries between Vila Real de Santo António and Lagos were shut down on 1 January, with their removal being “the next battle”. In recent years, this issue has sparked heated debates and revealed different social, economic and environmental perspectives. This decision, supported by residents and local organisations, has profound implications, both positive and negative. From the very first day – 8 December 2011 – the introduction of tolls on the A22 motorway was the subject of protests from locals, local authorities, companies and political parties, and also sparked several parliamentary debates.
For many, the charge was considered one of the “ordeals” of the Algarve residents, who were forced to use the National Road (EN) 125, where road safety leaves much to be desired. After this “saga” and after advances and setbacks, travelling from Sotavento to Barlavento is now cheaper.
Meanwhile the A22 Users’ Committee warns that the fight will continue “for the removal of gantries, denunciation of the public-private partnership and maintenance of the pavement”.
“We must continue to fight. The fight is not over yet. The Via do Infante Users’ Committee [CUVI], from this moment on, will continue to demand the dismantling of the gantries. “Because we don’t know if tomorrow we’ll have another government that, claiming difficulties for the country, will be tempted to reinstate tolls,” says João Vasconcelos, spokesperson for CUVI.
LOULE COUNCIL SHOW POSITIVE RESULTS FOR FIRE PREVENTION IN 2024
In 2024, the municipality of Loulé recorded one of the smallest burnt areas since 2004, corresponding to a value of less than six hectares, concluded the local authority during a meeting of the Municipal Commission for the Integrated Management of Rural Fires in Loulé.
“The municipality of Loulé had a positive performance in fire management, demonstrating that an integrated and collaborative strategy can generate significant results”, consider municipal officials.
According to the municipality, although it recorded the “highest number of small-scale fires” compared to other municipalities in the Algarve, many of the occurrences were identified as “false alarms”, which reinforces the need for “constant vigilance” and a “rapid response capacity”.“The conclusions were presented in detail at the meeting chaired by Mayor Vítor Aleixo, which included several presentations on the work carried out at municipal level in the areas of planning, awareness and public information, prevention, surveillance and fighting of rural fires in the municipality”, the local authority highlights in a statement.
According to those present at the meeting, the reduction in the burnt area was the result of several factors, including “the reinforcement of available resources and equipment, the increase in surveillance actions and the intensification of prevention measures”.
At the same time, Loulé City Council has acquired two Light Firefighting Vehicles (VLCI) that will be part of the fleet of its Municipal Fire Department.
“These are emergency vehicles designed to fight fires, especially in urban and forest areas,” the municipality said in a statement. Because they are smaller vehicles, they are more “agile” and “allow access to places that are difficult for larger vehicles to reach.”
As such, the municipality considers that they are essential for the “speed and effectiveness” of interventions, especially in areas with limited access, constituting an “added value” for optimizing the operational capacity of the Loulé Fire Department.
The vehicles, which represented an investment of 180 thousand euros, include a fire service pump, hoses and other “essential” equipment for fighting fires. In addition, their fuel capacity is sufficient to travel “at least 300 kilometers” or operate the fire pump for “four consecutive hours”.
“Equipping ourselves with equipment such as these vehicles is essential to be able to implement an effective fire-fighting policy, safeguarding human lives, property and the environment. This is, therefore, a very important investment for our community”, highlights Mayor Vítor Aleixo.
LAGOS PROMOTES LIFE SUPPORT AND DEFIBRILLATOR COURSE
As part of the implementation of the Municipal Automatic External Defibrillation Program (PMDAE), which has 24 AED devices in the municipality, 11 of which are in booths on public roads, the municipality of Lagos , through the Civil Protection and Forest Defense Service, offers a Basic Life Support and Automatic External Defibrillation course .
Registration for the Basic Life Support and Automatic External Defibrillation course (7h) can be done through the online form .
“Interested parties will be admitted based on their residence or work area in the vicinity of the AED booths. If you are already an operator with certification from the SBV AED course, please contact us to join the AED operator pool”, informs the municipality.
All information can be found here . Questions and queries should be sent to pmdae@cm-lagos.pt .
200 NEW MEDICAL INTERNS FOR THE ALGARVE
The Algarve Local Health Unit (ULSALG) began the year 2025 by welcoming 202 intern doctors who chose the Algarve health units to carry out their medical internship in General and Specialty Training, General and Family Medicine internship and eight Pharmaceutical Residents.
The Quinta do Sobral event space, in Castro Marim, was the chosen location to welcome, on Friday, January 3, more than 200 new general and specialist intern doctors who will work for the Algarve Local Health Unit, the local authority announced.
The opening session was attended by the president of the Castro Marim City Council , also a doctor, Francisco Amaral , who inaugurated the event with a speech in which he recalled his career in the health sector.
The mayor also recalled the initiatives and measures he has taken over the last few years, such as transporting patients to appointments and examinations, the Mobile Health Unit, the anti-smoking programme and the most recent vaccination campaign against pneumonia.
Francisco Amaral took the opportunity to leave some words and advice to the new doctors, in addition to asking that these professionals settle in the Algarve region. “Learn and dedicate your heart and soul to your profession, or rather, to your vocation,” he added.
The day’s program also included several presentations, meetings and sharing of information about Medical Internship and Pharmaceutical Residency, with the Medical Internship Directorate.
NEW COURSE FOR AQUATIC SAFETY AIMED AT CHILDREN & PARENTS LAUNCHED
Faro Beach has become the stage for the Aquacidade no Mar project, which aims to provide children, young people and their families with essential knowledge and skills for safety in the aquatic environment, contributing to the prevention of accidents and risky behavior at sea.
The project promotes “inclusive” classes, aimed at children aged three to twelve, but also open to their families. It takes place every Saturday at Praia de Faro, from 3pm to 3:45pm, until 31 May.
“The proposal is to offer an educational and fun environment where participants learn to: adapt to the aquatic environment; practice safety at sea; prevent drowning; and act effectively in risky situations”, highlights Red Seagull in a statement. Participation is free, but requires prior registration via the online form . For more information, Red Seagull provides contact number 932178808.
POLICE IN PORTIMÃO ARREST FOUR DRUG TRAFFICKERS WITH ALMOST 2000 DOSES OF COCAINE
On Tuesday, the GNR of Portimão arrested four men and named a fifth man as a defendant, aged between 30 and 41, for drug trafficking in Portimão, Lagos and Lagoa.
In a statement, the GNR said that as part of an investigation into drug trafficking, which lasted approximately 18 months, with the aim of dismantling a criminal network operating in the western Algarve region, “six house searches and eight vehicle searches were carried out, culminating in the arrest of four men and the indictment of a fifth man”.
A total of 1996 doses of cocaine were seized; a tool used to cut the drug; a digital scale; 20 mobile phones; six pieces of gold and €3680 in cash.
The detainees were charged and the facts were reported to the Portimão Judicial Court.
MILLION-EURO ROBBERY AT LUXURY HOME IN VILAMOURA
The Judiciary Police are investigating a multi-million euro robbery at a luxury home in the Vilamoura area, which reportedly took place on January 6th.
According to Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manhã, the robbery occurred when the owners were at home. They were forced to hand over a large amount of money, jewellery and other valuables, but were not assaulted.
The value of the robbery is said to be more than one million euros.
The victims filed a complaint with the National Republican Guard (GNR), however the case was handed over to the Judiciary Police.
GNR SEIZE 93 KILOS OF HASHISH IN JUST 2 DAYS
The Coastal and Border Control Unit (UCCF) and the Faro GNR Territorial Command, seized 93.6 kilos of hashish as part of intensive patrols along the Algarve coast during the last two days.
According to a statement from the GNR, these patrols were carried out predominantly because of the worsening weather conditions, with the aim of detecting possible landslides along the coast, but resulted in the seizure of drugs.
On Monday, during a patrol on Rebolos/Burgau beach, in Vila do Bispo, soldiers from the Portimão Coastal Control sub-detachment identified a bulky object close to the surf, which was a bundle of burlap with a narcotic product inside.
On the same day, the Portimão territorial detachment of the same security force received a report regarding the presence of another bundle, on Mareta beach in Sagres. At the scene, the military confirmed that the bundle contained narcotics, and was accompanied by a jerrycan containing 25 litres of fuel.
On Tuesday, several packages were found near the surf on Vale da Lapa/Lagoa beach, by soldiers from the Portimão Coastal Control sub-detachment, which also contained a narcotic product.
So thank you for reading to the end of this report. Have a great week
On Friday, the GNR seized thousands of litres of fuel and arrested two men aged 24 and 35, and charged a third man, aged 44, with aiding drug trafficking in Santa Luzia, Tavira.
In a second phase of the study, in 2025, a pilot project will be implemented to optimize waste management, such as dedicated collection circuits, through the involvement of regional partner entities, such as Algar, responsible for the selective collection of waste at ecopoints, the Algarve Intermunicipal Community (AMAL), tour operators, hotels and restaurants.
Portugal was lucky in that we only experienced relatively minor effects Storm Darragh which caused considerable damage and disruption in the UK resulting in two deaths. Winds of 150 km/h were recorded in Wales, bringing down transmission lines leaving thousands without power. The strong winds also affected France with gusts of up to 159 km/h recorded in Carteret, in La Manche. In Brittany, peaks of over 140 km/h were measured (Ouessant, Groix, Pointe du Raz, etc.). But the record was recorded in the Pyrénées-Orientales: 184 km/h.
Italy, Poland and Germany have the highest number of deaths due to fine particles (PM2.5 — with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres, equivalent to one thousandth of a millimetre).
The researcher also believes that “citizen science” can also be a “valuable tool”, by allowing the expansion of mosquitoes to be monitored, contributing to risk assessment and anticipation of possible outbreaks of the diseases they transmit.
Firefighters are protesting again this Tuesday in Lisbon. After a peaceful start, they broke through the police cordon and threw firecrackers and smoke incendiary devices. They are demanding a 200 euro pay raise. Firefighters from all over the country are involved in the protest, between Avenida de Roma and Campus XXI, where the meeting between the Government and the unions representing firefighters is taking place. Among other demands, they are asking for the career to be valued and for more respect for the profession.
Therefore, for customers who have already purchased tickets to travel on Alfa Pendular, Intercidades, Internacional, InterRegional and Regional trains, CP will allow a refund of the full value of the ticket purchased, or its free exchange for another train of the same category and in the same class.
The majority of people who died by drowning were men (77.3%) over 40 years old (57.7%), with the majority of cases occurring during leisure sea bathing (21.6%), boat fishing (10.3%, due to vehicles falling into the water (4.1%) and recreational fishing for bivalves (4.1%).
The municipality of Faro celebrates International Volunteer Day on December 5th by holding the 1st Municipal Volunteer Meeting. The event will take place at the University of Algarve (Penha Campus), Pedagogical Complex – Amphitheatre 1.5, between 9am and 5pm.
The objective of the campaign is “to warn drivers about the risks of driving at high speed, considering that this is one of the main causes of accidents on the roads and is responsible for around 60% of registered infractions”.. These entities highlight, in this regard, that “the probability of fatalities increases depending on the speed at which vehicles travel”.
The recent bad weather resulted in 750 incidents mainly as a result of strong winds and heavy rain. Once again the majority were floods and fallen trees, which mainly affected Metropolitan Lisbon, the Coimbra region and Porto. According to Civil Protection Authority, “there were 281 floods, 221 fallen trees, 192 fallen structures, 51 road cleanings and 6 landslides”. It is important therefore to follow the advice of the authorities which we publish on our Facebook page, and avoid if at all possible parking your car under trees especially if they appear in poor condition. As always closely follow the weather forecasts and safety advice from the IPMA and ANEPC to minimize the risk to yourselves and your property.
Few details are yet known. The same source indicates that, once the operation is concluded, the PJ will provide clarification and information on the outcome of the operation.
The fire that broke out on Monday, the 25th, in the early evening in a warehouse in Vale Covo, in the parish of Boliqueime , in the municipality of Loulé, was controlled at 8:45 pm, having caused one minor injury and one displaced person, said a source from Civil Protection.
On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, which is celebrated this Monday, APAV reported that the district of residence of the majority of female victims in Portugal is Lisbon, with 5,327 women registered, that is, 22.4% of the total number of victims recorded in 2022 and 2023.
“The Azores beat destinations such as Australia, Costa Rica, Japan and New Zealand, nominated in the same category in what are considered the most important awards in the tourism sector,” says a note from Visit Azores (formerly the Azores Tourism Association), about the awards ceremony that took place on Sunday in Funchal, Madeira.
There are now 140 tsunami evacuation route signs that are now spread across Quarteira/Vilamoura, 13 meeting points were created located outside the floodable area, considered safe places as they are located in higher areas, such as the Church of S. Pedro do Mar, the Drª Francisca de Aragão and Drª Laura Ayres Schools or Papa Francisco avenue. The plan also included 6 siren warning posts, which will be heard in the event of an alert.