Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 9^th April 2025

Good afternoon. Firstly we start with a warning from the Maritime authority that although we are experience sunny weather and temperatures approaching 30C in some coastal areas, at this time of year, we still have the winter sea, so there is a high risk due to the effects of the sea waves and currents. School holidays and mild weather” increase the number of people visiting the beaches, with the Maritime Authority recording 45 incidents involving 50 people and one disappearance. Remember there are no lifeguards at beaches at this time of the year, so take extra care especially with young children when visiting the beaches. Please visit our safe beaches page here for precautions to take. https://www.safecommunitiesportugal.com/find-information/for-tourists/water-and-beach-safety/

The presence of Portuguese men of war has been occasionally sighted in recent weeks along the coast of the Madeira archipelago as well as in the Algarve and Sintra coastlines. In one incident a large number of Portuguese men of war found on the sands of Prainha in Madeira.

Be aware that the venom of the Portuguese man of war is identical to that of the black widow spider, causing very strong pain and burns, which can be third degree, causing scars, which can be permanent. This living being does not swim, it is through its gas bladder (which can rise 15 cm above the surface of the water) that it floats and moves, being carried by the wind and sea currents. It can be distinguished by its colour, between bluish, pink or purple, with tentacles that can reach up to 50 meters.

The IPMA’s GelAvista program reminds us of the precautions to be taken in case of inadvertent contact with a Portuguese Man of War, such as cleaning the affected area thoroughly with sea water and removing any pieces of tentacles that may have remained stuck in the skin, using tweezers. Anyone who is affected can apply vinegar and hot compresses and avoid using alcohol and fresh water, warns the IPMA, warning that in the case of extensive burns, a health professional should be sought.

Air temperatures are increasing, but this is forecast by the IPMA to be accompanied by a new wave of dust from North Africa expected to start affecting mainland Portugal from later today. The atmospheric dust will become more noticeable especially on Thursday and Friday. Experts warn that several precautionary measures should be taken, especially if you have breathing problems. We will continue to monitor – although no IPMA forecasts have been issued yet!

The Directorate-General for Health issues the following recommendations in dust situations, namely: that the general population should limit outdoor physical activity and exposure to risk factors such as tobacco smoke and contact with irritating products; that, children, elderly, patients with chronic respiratory problems, namely asthma, and cardiovascular patients; in addition to complying with the recommendations for the general population, should, whenever feasible, remain inside buildings and, preferably, with the windows closed: – the chronically ill must maintain ongoing medical treatments. We are monitoring the situation.

On Tuesday the PSP announced that they had arrested 149 pickpockets last year, an increase of 43% compared to 2023, adding that in urban centers there were an average of 16 thefts per day using this method in 2024. Despite this good works pickpocketing incidents are on the rise particularly in tourist areas. It is therefore important to take simple precautions by:  carrying money and passport in separate places, so that losing one doesn’t mean losing the other as well; wearing bags in front of you, not at the rear or side. Deep-front trouser pockets offer more protection than back pockets.

Our team at Safe Communities wishes you a safe week ahead

News

Safety at beaches – Maritime Authority records 45 incidents and one disappearance

“School holidays and mild weather” increase the number of people visiting the beaches. The Maritime Authority records 45 incidents and one disappearance

Fifty people were involved in the 45 incidents. At TSF, Commander Ricardo Sá Granja warns of the normal sea agitation at this time of year and issues warnings to the population

Despite the “sea being winter”, the high temperatures felt this Tuesday, combined with the school holidays, led to an increase in the number of people visiting Portuguese beaches. This Tuesday alone, 45 incidents and one disappearance were recorded near Dragão Vermelho beach, on the Costa da Caparica, revealed the National Maritime Authority (AMN).

According to AMN, these 45 occurrences involved 50 people across the country

AMN reported that a 16-year-old boy disappeared late in the afternoon in Costa da Caparica, after having “got into difficulties in the water”, on Dragão Vermelho beach, with searches having already begun in the area.

In a statement issued late in the afternoon, AMN stated that at 6:00 pm an alert was received informing that three young people were “in difficulty in the water” and, immediately, “crew members of the Cascais Lifeguard Station were called to the scene”.

“Upon arrival at the scene, it was found that one of the young people had left the water under his own power, while the other had been rescued by lifeguards from the ‘Praia Protegida’ project, run by Almada City Council”, in the district of Setúbal, the note reads.

According to AMN, the rescued young man was unconscious and was assisted by lifeguards until the arrival of the Cacilhas Volunteer Firefighters, who transported him to a hospital.

“The third young man ended up disappearing at sea, and searches were immediately launched at the site,” adds AMN.

“It’s winter at sea, there’s a high risk”: here are the precautions to take

TSF spoke to AMN commander Ricardo Sá Granja about these incidents, who explained that the influx of people to the beaches is linked to the “school holidays and the mild weather”. Although sunbathing may be appetising, the commander warns: “At this time of year, we still have the winter sea, so there is a high risk due to the effects of the sea waves. (…) There are areas on the beaches that are not properly marked.”

To avoid misfortunes, the commander reinforces the warnings to the population and asks that they adopt “appropriate and responsible behavior, not putting themselves in risky situations”.

The AMN also advises not to go near the water or walk on wet sand, that children are supervised at all times, always keeping them close to an adult, that users do not turn their backs to the sea and always maintain a safe distance from the water line, to avoid being surprised by a wave

Number of immigrants in Portugal expected to reach 1.6 million

This is what an interim report, with data from AIMA indicates. The current numbers should be revised upwards after the processing of the regularization requests that were pending.

There were 1.6 million immigrants in Portugal at the end of last year, according to forecasts from the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA). The number was announced in an interim report on the recovery of pending cases and the foreign population in Portugal, released this Tuesday.

The body that replaced the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF) points out that, at the end of 2024, Portugal had 1,546,521 immigrants. However, it warns that the number should be corrected upwards, to around 50 thousand more, when the regularization processes still to be processed are concluded.

“It is estimated that, with this review, the number of foreigners in Portugal in 2024 will be around 1,600,000”, indicates the report.

AIMA clarifies that these 50,000 foreign citizens “were already in national territory before June 3, 2024” – when the expression of interest regime ended.

From that date onwards, he states, “there was a 59% reduction in the flow of foreign citizens entering Portugal” with a view to obtaining a residence permit. The number of applications fell from 156,951 in the first half of 2024 to 64,848 in the second half.

The number of immigrants in Portugal is, according to this data, almost four times greater than it was seven years ago.

There were more immigrants than previously thought by 2023

The Mission Structure for the Recovery of Pending Processes at AIMA also corrects the data on the number of foreign citizens who were previously in Portugal. It claims that, in 2023, there were almost 250 thousand more immigrants in Portuguese territory than what was previously recorded.

After looking at the pending processes, he confirms that there were 1,293,463 immigrants – and not 1,044,606, as indicated in the Migration and Asylum Report for that year.