First pic of Brit woman, 33, who drowned in sea off Portugal and partner, 34, who died trying to save her – The Scottish Sun

Posted On: October 7, 2019

Yoga teacher Kim Fletcher, 33, tragically lost her life after getting into trouble in rough seas on Sunday.

Kim Fletcher, 33, and partner Danny Johnson, 34, drowned in PortugalCredit: Solarpix

Emergency workers at the scene as sunbathers look onCredit: Solarpix

And her partner Danny Johnson, 34, died after bravely rushing into the water to save her.

The tragedy happened around 2.30pm local time yesterday at a beach in Zambujeira do Mar in Portugal’s stunning Alentejo region.

Local surfers went to their aid after seeing they struggled to get back to the beach and battled in vain to revive them on the sand.

Devastated pals have today paid tribute to the couple, understood to be from Stoke-on-Trent.

Steph Critchlow wrote: “Life’s too short.

“RIP to my 2 beautiful friends, can’t believe the sky has taken you so soon gutted.

“Absolutely gutted. Words can’t express how I’m feeling, sending all my love and energy to the families.”

And Danny’s cousin Bobby Johnson posted a picture of them all together with a heartbreaking caption reading simply: “Family.”

It also claimed two friends who were with the Brits on holiday in the area witnessed the drama as it unfolded.

Pals paid tribute to the couple after their holiday tragedyCredit: Solarpix

The pair drowned in the sea in Zambujeira do Mar, PortugalCredit: Solarpix

Today, a hostel owner said he tried to save the couple.

Joao Mendes, 36, was having lunch at his home when he heard the pair had disappeared in the water.

“I had been bodyboarding about 40 minutes before the tragedy and left to go home for lunch but I got a call telling me what had happened and I drove down to the beach with my board.
“I was the second or third bodyboarder to arrive. I paddled out and didn’t see anyone else at first. The waves were pretty big.
“I was heading further out to sea with another bodyboarder when we spotted the woman’s body.

“We put her on my board and pushed her up onto the rocks and started practising CPR.”

Joao said another local then spotted the woman’s friend in the water.

He explained: “We put him on my board and brought him back to the same rocks.
“Other people including a nurse and a doctor had arrived by then and we split into two teams trying to revive them while we waited for the ambulance to arrive, but they were in pretty bad shape and it was impossible. Neither ever had any pulse.”

Police confirmed the dead pair were a British man aged 34 and a British woman aged 33 who were on holiday with a group of friends.

Maritime Police chief Rui Pedro Silva Filipe said: “I can confirm they are both British citizens. The man was 34 and the woman was 33.

“They were in Portugal on holiday with a group of friends.

“It appears the man went to the woman’s aid when he saw she was in difficulties and was holding onto a rock.

“He reached her but it was when they were coming back to the beach that they started drowning, maybe because they were tired.

“The local surfers went to their aid and got them out of the water to a small area of sand near the main beach but by that time they had already gone into cardiac arrest.

“Medical responders had already reached the scene and made an unsuccessful attempt to revive them by practising CPR.

“They were taken to a local health centre where they were pronounced dead and their bodies have now been taken to Beja where autopsies will take place probably tomorrow.”

A Portuguese Air Force helicopter took their bodies to a hospital morgue in the nearby city of Beja.

The beach where the tragedy occurred has no lifeguard service after September 15.

Mr Silva Filipe described the sea at the time of the drama as “a little bit rough.”

Local media published footage of the Portuguese Air Force helicopter airlifting the bodies from the beach as other sunbathers looked on.

Zambujeira do Mar hosts an annual five-day music festival called the MEO Sudoeste.

The likes of Madness have played at the festival, which takes place in August.

A Foreign and Commonwealth spokesman said:“Our staff are supporting the families of a British man and woman following their deaths in Zambujeira do Mar, Portugal and are in contact with the Portuguese authorities.”