Portuguese Politician Offers Condolences to Families of Helicopter Crash Victims

Rui Rocha, president of the Liberal Initiative, has expressed his condolences to the families of those involved in a helicopter crash that occurred while fighting a wildfire. The incident took place near the town of Samodães, Lamego, on the Douro River. The helicopter, carrying a pilot and a team of five military personnel from the Emergency Protection and Rescue Unit (UEPS), was returning from battling a wildfire in the municipality of Baião when it crashed. According to authorities, the pilot was rescued by a recreational boat and sustained leg injuries. However, two bodies of GNR military personnel were found inside the helicopter, and three other guards remain missing. Rescue efforts are ongoing with aerial, terrestrial, and maritime searches to locate the missing individuals. Prime Minister Luís Montenegro has visited the site of the accident.