The sinking of a vessel off Troia, which occurred on April 7, 2024, caused the death of four people, three men and an 11-year-old child, all from Santiago do Cacém, in the district of Setúbal. The only survivor and defendant in the case is Manuel Coelho, 64 years old, from Alcácer do Sal, the helmsman of the vessel called Lingrinhas, dedicated to recreational fishing for payment of 25 to 50 euros per participant.
The Public Ministry accuses Manuel Coelho of four counts of negligent homicide, arguing that he decided to make the recreational trip to the Restinga area despite knowing that the sea conditions were not safe, with waves over three meters. In the first session of the trial, held Monday at the Setúbal Court, Mário Coelho remained silent.
In today's hearing, several prosecution witnesses corroborated the Public Ministry's thesis, stating that the accident area was particularly dangerous due to the sandbanks, adverse sea conditions, and low tide. The sinking occurred around 07:30, when the helmsman attempted to reverse course and return to the marina after heading to an area called Cambalhão, north of Restinga, and was struck by a 3.5-meter wave.
The trial resumes at 09:15 on Wednesday. The Port Authority of Setúbal was only alerted three hours after the sinking, and the helmsman was rescued by a vessel where Luís Leão, a former firefighter and professional diver, was also traveling, who likewise testified that the area was particularly dangerous with strong waves and an outgoing tide.
