Prime Minister Luís Montenegro considered this Friday, August 30, “a very sad day” for Portugal, presenting condolences to the families of the GNR (National Republican Guard) military personnel who lost their lives in a helicopter accident that crashed into the Douro River in the Lamego region. Additionally, he announced that tomorrow will be a day of national mourning.
“Today is a very, very sad day for Portugal. It is with deep regret, consternation, and much solidarity that we present to the families of the four soldiers who perished in this tragic accident, a reference of all the support possible on an occasion like this. I also want to convey our solidarity to the National Republican Guard for the occurrence of this accident and its consequences,” said Luís Montenegro at a hotel in Lamego, Viseu district, accompanied by the Minister of Internal Administration.
“Every effort is being made not only to recover the bodies of the fatal victims, to provide support to the survivor of this accident, but also to do everything to find the fifth GNR soldier who is missing,” said the Prime Minister.
Montenegro then announced that the Government will decree a day of national mourning on Saturday, a decision made in agreement with the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who was also in Lamego today but did not make any statements.
“In line with the Government’s proposal, His Excellency the President of the Republic agreed to decree a day of national mourning tomorrow [Saturday], in honor of the dedication, pride, and commitment of these men, and through them all those who daily serve various institutions of the Portuguese Republic providing support and aid to people and protecting the assets of the Portuguese,” Montenegro justified.
When asked about the reasons for his visit to the site, the head of the Executive highlighted that he had the opportunity to see the “magnitude of the operation and personally be with the divers, who are also performing a very dangerous mission.” In this way, Montenegro wanted to convey his “appreciation” for the mission they continue to perform.
“It is my obligation and responsibility, on behalf of the Portuguese people, to stand by those who also risk their lives, even in this tragic circumstance,” he defended.
Regarding the criticism raised about this visit, he insisted: “I fulfill my obligation.”
“The Prime Minister’s presence did not cause any disturbance to the search operations. To criticize or make a case of this, I think is also disrespectful to the institutions. I’m not even talking about myself, as I’m very unimportant in this respect,” he added.
Regarding the families, Montenegro said they have been receiving support from various entities “from the first hour.” “The best way we can demonstrate our solidarity, besides our presence and words, is above all the enhancement of the work, the patriotic dedication of all these GNR military personnel,” he completed.
The firefighting helicopter landed on the Douro River around 12:50 pm today, near the town of Samodães, Lamego, and was carrying a pilot and a team of five soldiers from the Emergency Protection and Rescue Unit (UEPC) returning from a fire in the municipality of Baião.
The aircraft pilot was rescued alive, with only minor injuries.
So far, the bodies of four GNR soldiers have been located, with one other member still missing, and the search continues.
The causes of the accident are not yet known.
The Office for the Prevention and Investigation of Aircraft Accidents and Railway Accidents (GPIAAF), a Portuguese State body, has a team on the ground investigating the accident.
The crashed helicopter, an AS350 – Écureuil model, is operated by HTA Helicopters, based in Loulé, Algarve.
[News updated at 19:53]
