António Costa and Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa lamented the death of the pilot of the plane that crashed this Saturday during the fire fighting that broke out in Lindo, in the municipality of Ponte da Barca, in the Peneda-Gerês National Park.
The President of the Republic said that he has already offered his condolences to the family of the Portuguese pilot who died today following the fall of a ‘Canadair’ in the Lindoso area, Ponte da Barca, when he was fighting the fire in Gerês.
“I have already had the opportunity to express my condolences, my feelings, to Henrique, son of the pilot Jorge Jardim, who died in dramatic circumstances, at the service of the community, in the fight against fire, which all indicates that he is on the way to being extinguished” , said Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
The head of state spoke to journalists at Porto Santo Airport, in the archipelago of Madeira, where he was waiting to embark for Lisbon, after a short vacation.
“Unfortunately, it is more of a loss of life at this time and in this period, when we have already lost four firefighters,” he noted.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa revealed that he also spoke as the son of the Spanish driver, seriously injured in the same accident.
“It is recorded here, with great regret for me, what is another sad event in this time of fires”, he declared.
The plane crashed, at 11:20 am, in an area of Spanish territory, “about one, two kilometers from the border with Portugal,” an official Civil Protection source told Lusa.
The 65-year-old Portuguese pilot died on the spot, despite attempts by members of the National Institute for Medical Emergency (INEM), while the second pilot, Spanish and 39 years old, was assisted on the spot and transported “in serious condition” for the Viana do Castelo Hospital, said the same source.
In Porto Santo, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said that he spoke with the Mayor of Ponte da Barca, from whom he received the information that the fire registered a “positive evolution” in Portuguese territory, which does not happen on the Spanish side.
Prime Minister calls for caution
The prime minister today lamented the death of pilot Jorge Jardim in the accident of a firefighting plane, recommending “special caution” to all who fight fires in the country.
In a statement released by his office, António Costa expresses “deep sadness and dismay” at the death of Jorge Jardim, whose plane crashed at 11:20 am when he was refueling the water tanks near the Alto do Lindoso dam, in an accident that also made a seriously injured, the second pilot.
The prime minister wishes the injured pilot the best and thanks the “thousands of men and women who are fighting fires”.
“This is a fight for everyone, but I call for special caution: the first mission of those who protect others is to protect themselves”, he stresses.
António Costa also calls on citizens to behave in order to avoid fires in “days of enormous meteorological severity, with a very high risk of fire”.
“We have to reduce the number of ignitions more and more so that the device acts more and more effectively”, says the prime minister.
Jorge Jardim, 65, died on the spot, despite attempts made by elements of the National Institute for Medical Emergency (INEM), while the second pilot, of Spanish nationality and 39 years old, was assisted on the spot and transported in “serious condition ”To the Viana do Castelo Hospital, an official Civil Protection source told Lusa.
The plane crashed, at 11:20 am, in an area of Spanish territory, “about one, two kilometers from the border with Portugal,” added the same source.
In a press release, the National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection (ANEPC) stated that it is a heavy amphibious aircraft (Canadair CL215), from the Special Device for Fighting Rural Fires, from the Castelo Branco Air Means Center, which participated in fire fighting operations in the Peneda Gerês National Park, parish and municipality of Lindoso, district of Viana do Castelo.
The plane crashed in an accident near the Alto do Lindoso Dam, following a scooping operation (replenishing the water tank), he added.
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