British man and woman drown at Portuguese beach, reports say

Relationship between pair unknown after multi-agency rescue attempt

Officials said the two had taken to the waters outside of the region's swimming season (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

A British man and woman have drowned near a Portuguese beach after struggling in the coastal waters, according to reports.

Emergency services were called to the beach at Zambujera do Mar in Portugal‘s southern Alentejo region at 2.30pm on 6 October - prompting a multi-agency response to recover the pair, Jornal de Noticias reported.

The Civil Protection and the Maritime Police for the Sines area said they believed the 34-year old man had entered the water after the woman, 33, appeared to struggle in the water, clinging onto a nearby rock.

After he reached the woman the pair disappeared from view, reports said. They were later pulled from the waters by surfers who took them to a small secluded beach and attempted to resuscitate them.

The relationship between the pair, who are yet to be named, is currently unknown.

A Portuguese military helicopter was among the emergency vehicles dispatched in an attempt to save the pair due to their remote location, who were eventually transported to a local health centre in the city of Odemira before being pronounced dead.

The area’s maritime police commander and port captain, Rui Pedro Filipe, said that swimming season had ended in the region on 15 September, and adding that the coast is not currently being watched by lifeguards – according to Jornal de Noticias.