A military helicopter, believed to be an EH-101 typically stationed in Porto Santo, was observed conducting maneuvers off the coast of Funchal early this evening.
The maneuvers took place around 9 PM, as the ferry Lobo Marinho returned to Funchal Bay. The helicopter hovered over the Garajau area, with one crew member descending close to the sea surface. The National Maritime Authority has not yet commented on whether this was a real mission or an exercise.
The EH-101 Merlin is a medium transport helicopter capable of night operations, equipped with emergency floats and night vision systems. The Portuguese Air Force operates various variants of this model for different mission types, including search and rescue.
