"Following a request for assistance from victims who found themselves disoriented on a pedestrian route, in the parish of Curral das Freiras, specifically between Boca da Corrida and Pico de São Jorge, and were unable to return, a team of military personnel was called", informs the GNR, in a statement.

The security forces took steps and the team from the Madeira Protection and Relief Post of the GNR Emergency Protection and Relief Unit, "which was close to the scene, carried out efforts to locate them, approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes later from the beginning of the route".

"Upon arriving at the location where the victims were, the officers found that they showed slight signs of hypothermia and dehydration, meaning that no further means were needed to extract them, nor hospital treatment", informs the same note.

The action, says the GNR, was coordinated and articulated with the Madeira Regional Relief Operations Command (CROS) – Regional Civil Protection Service.

The GNR advises that, in mountain activities, "always have a small flashlight, whistle, first aid kit and a means of guidance on the ground (GPS or Smartphone), in order to understand the estimated time to finish the route, so as not to be surprised by the sunset, as well as footwear and clothing suitable for this type of environment".