“The municipality of Vila do Bispo informs that the beaches of Cabanas Velhas and Boca do Rio are closed to bathing, due to the spill of crude oil, with an impact on the bathing water of the aforementioned beaches”, according to a statement published on the Vila do Bispo City Council website.

The municipality took this decision after the Algarve Regional Health Delegate, Ana Cristina Guerreiro, decided to decree “the ban on bathing on the beaches” until safety conditions are reversed”.

A source of pollution had been detected on Saturday on Cabanas Velhas beach, and the causes behind this incident were unknown at the time, the National Maritime Authority (AMN) revealed in a statement this morning.

The Maritime Police was the entity that took charge of the incident and then contacted the Southern Maritime Department and the Directorate for Combating Pollution at Sea, activating the 3rd degree of readiness of the Clean Sea Plan.

According to the AMN note, the tide and the lack of visibility meant that it was only possible to collect the polluting material yesterday morning.

On the occasion, the authorities also carried out patrols on adjacent beaches, having verified, to a lesser extent, “the presence of polluting material on Praia da Boca do Rio”.

All collected and contaminated material went to a suitable treatment unit, through Vila do Bispo City Hall, according to the note.

The general objective of the Clean Sea Plan is to establish a response mechanism to situations involving spills of hydrocarbons and other dangerous substances, or to situations of imminent threat from these same spills, defining the responsibilities of the intervening entities and establishing their responsibilities.