LISBON: Portuguese authorities searched Friday for a woman swept out to the Atlantic, reportedly during a religious ceremony.
The 34-year-old was one of four people who were swept away by a wave on the Costa Nova beach in central Portugal on Thursday night while the coast was lashed by strong winds and huge waves, local officials said.
Three people managed to make it back to land but the woman has not been seen since.
Portuguese media said the four were part of a group of ten people who ignored warnings to stay away from the coast because of the rough weather.
Candles, fresh fruit, necklaces and a box with two pairs of shoes were found near spot where the group had gathered, daily newspaper Jornal de Noticias reported.
“We are determining what happened. What we know is that ten people were gathered and four were swept up by a wave. Despite all the warnings, this situation occurred,” Carlos Jose Isabel, commander of the nearby port of Aveiro who is leading the search effort, told reporters.
Portugal counts an estimated 1,000 followers of the faith, which came to the country via its former colony Brazil — although officials say it is difficult to know exactly how many worshippers there are.
Most of Portugal’s coast was on “red alert,” the weather office’s highest alert level, on Thursday because of large waves, heavy rain and strong winds.
Portugal woman swept out to sea in religious ceremony
Portugal woman swept out to sea in religious ceremony
Ukraine, Russia exchange POWs for first time in months
- The two sides have in the past conducted several rounds of prisoner swaps
- “Today’s exchange came after a long pause, and it is critical that we were able to make it happen,” Zelensky said
KYIV: Ukraine and Russia have conducted their first prisoner exchange in months, each releasing at least 157 people, both countries said Thursday, amid US-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi aimed at ending the war.
The two sides have in the past conducted several rounds of prisoner swaps, one of the rare areas of direct cooperation between Ukraine and Russia amid the four-year war, but last month Kyiv accused Moscow of halting the exchanges.
On Thursday, amid three-way talks in Abu Dhabi, the countries swapped 157 captured soldiers and civilians each in an exchange mediated by Washington — the first since October.
“Today’s exchange came after a long pause, and it is critical that we were able to make it happen. I thank everyone who works to make these exchanges possible,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on social media.
Images he posted showed the released prisoners, their heads freshly shaven, wrapped in Ukrainian flags and smiling amid falling snow.
Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said among the 157 Ukrainians released “are seven civilians and those whom the Russians unlawfully convicted.”
Zelensky’s aide Kyrylo Budanov said that in the group of the freed prisoners were 19 Ukrainians “who were illegally sentenced, 15 of them to life imprisonment.”
Russia, who said the United States and United Arab Emirates acted as mediators for the exchange, announced earlier it had handed over 157 Ukrainian soldiers and that 157 Russian servicemen were returned.
“In addition, three Russian citizens, residents of the Kursk region... will be returned home,” the Russian defense ministry said in a statement.
Ukrainian forces launched a surprise incursion into Russia’s western Kursk region in 2024.
