In a statement, AMN (National Maritime Authority) said that the man was reported missing after allegedly going spearfishing at Ponta da Ilha, on Pico Island. Following an alert received at 7:37 p.m. on Sunday through the Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center in Ponta Delgada (MRCC Delgada), “searches were immediately initiated at the site,” said the Press Officer.

The Port Captain and Local Commander of the Horta Maritime Police, Amílcar Brás, told the Lusa news agency that the search was suspended at the end of Sunday and resumed today at 7 a.m. with additional resources. Crew members from the Horta Lifeboat Station (vessel Nossa Senhora da Conceição), a Portuguese Navy ship (ocean patrol vessel from Ponta Delgada), and a Portuguese Air Force EH-101 helicopter are involved in the search operations.

The operation also involves members of the Lajes do Pico Volunteer Fire Department and a team of divers from the Madalena Volunteer Fire Department, as well as members of the São Roque do Pico Maritime Police Station and the SeaWatch Project.

Amílcar Brás said that the man was alone fishing underwater and did not return to shore as agreed with his family.

“He was alone fishing underwater and left the buoy that signals his activity in front of the lighthouse. And it is from that position that we are conducting the search, both underwater and on the surface,” he explained.

The Port Captain and Local Commander of the Horta Maritime Police, who is coordinating operations on the ground, also said that on Sunday only land searches were carried out, as the alert was raised at the end of the day. It was not possible to deploy air resources, but today searches are being carried out by air, sea, and land “in a wider area.”

From LUSA news service

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