Four stranded Spaniards, cut off by the rising tide, had to be rescued by emergency services on Monday before they were swamped and washed away.
The rescue took place in a cove to the west of Albandeira beach, Lagoa. The Maritime Police from Portimão called out the Ferragudo lifeboat and a jet-ski to rescue three adults and a baby who had become trapped on the beach.
The incoming tide, swelling sea and steep cliff behind made a sea rescue imperative and all successfully were removed from the beach.
The lifeboat crew was helped by two life guards and a local boat from Benagil.
The National Maritime Authority said that the risk that the cliffs at this cove would collapse was 'permament.' This is despite the strenest efforts from the regional environmental association, APA, to make all cliffs 'beachgoer friendly' by scraping away the cliff-tops.
Delivered to safety...
