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The beach at Nazare in Portugal
The tourist resort of Nazaré, Portugal, where Lara Lewis and Brian O’Dwyer died. Photograph: Ron Poling/Rex Features
The tourist resort of Nazaré, Portugal, where Lara Lewis and Brian O’Dwyer died. Photograph: Ron Poling/Rex Features

Portugal drowning victims named as Lara Lewis and Brian O'Dwyer

This article is more than 11 years old
British girl, five, and her 66-year-old grandfather die after being swept into sea at tourist resort of Nazaré

A five-year-old British girl and her 66-year-old grandfather who drowned after being swept into the sea in Portugal have been named.

The bodies of Lara Lewis and Brian O'Dwyer were pulled from choppy waters by fishermen in the tourist resort of Nazaré, about 60 miles north of Lisbon, authorities said.

The girl's grandmother was rescued off Salgado beach by local seamen and was taken to hospital.

It is thought the five-year-old's parents were sunbathing on the beach when Lara went for a walk with her grandparents, but they strayed outside the area patrolled by lifeguards.

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Portugal drowning map Photograph: Graphic

The incident happened in the picturesque fishing village just before 2pm local time on Tuesday.

Pictures of the scene showed firefighters crouching down in the sand in the afternoon sunshine, about to move the victims. The body of the grandfather was covered in a blue sheet.

It is thought the emergency services attempted to revive Lara for nearly an hour.

According to the English-language newspaper the Portugal News, the Nazaré Port Authority commander, Albuquerque e Silva, said: "The grandfather was already dead when he was hauled from the water. Emergency services attempted to resuscitate the child, but to no avail.

"The two victims, accompanied by the grandmother, went on a stroll away from the Salgado beach, which is under lifeguard surveillance, and it must have been during this period that they were knocked over and dragged in by the waves."

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are aware of reports of the death of two British nationals in Portugal and we are in touch with the local authorities."

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