A 54-year-old Polish man was rescued on the evening of the previous day after the sailboat he was aboard drifted off São Roque beach, in the municipality of Machico.
According to the National Maritime Authority, the alert was received at 7:15 pm through the Funchal Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre (MRSC Funchal). The Funchal Maritime Police, the Madeira Maritime Department, the Madeira Association for Sea Rescue (SANAS Madeira) and the Machico Municipal Fire Department were mobilised.
When the teams arrived, the man was already ashore and showed signs of hypothermia. After receiving assistance, he was taken to hospital by firefighters. The vessel's owner has been asked to submit a plan for removing the sailboat, which may only sail again after an inspection confirms it is seaworthy. The incident is being handled by the Funchal Local Maritime Police Command.