Body of missing kitesurfer found on Anjo da Guarda beach in São Luís

Drone images show search for missing kitesurfer in Maranhão The body of kitesurfer Alan Wesley Pinto Ribeiro, aged 29, was located this Sunday morning (16), in Praia da Guia, in the Itaqui-Bacanga region, in São Luís. He had been missing since Saturday morning (15), when he fell into the water while kitesurfing in the Praia de São Marcos region. Before the body was located, volunteers had joined the Fire Department teams to reinforce the search. Among them were members of the community of jet skiers and Alan's friends, who arrived at Praia de São Marcos with their own equipment and began to work together with the military. According to the commander of the Marine Fire Brigade (BBMar), Lieutenant Colonel Tiago, the searches had continued throughout the night and were reinforced in the early hours of the morning. "Early on, when the sun rose, we started putting our boats in. The jet ski community and his friends also arrived here, brought their own equipment and continued the search," he said. The BBMar operation mobilized around 20 firefighters, distributed between searches and support for the teams. Since Saturday, work has involved boats, watercraft, drones, vehicles and a helicopter, in addition to support from the Air Tactical Center (CTA). According to the Fire Department, two boats and six watercraft participated in the operation. The volunteers who used jet skis worked in pairs, wearing life jackets, and needed to have experience and qualifications to drive the watercraft. In addition to the teams that traveled the sea, three drones were distributed along the coast to expand the observation area. The Tactical Air Center was also preparing, during the morning, to carry out overflights. The teams were concentrated in a post set up on Praia de São Marcos. Firefighters were also positioned on other stretches of the coast, including the region where Alan was last seen. The searches covered an extensive stretch of the coast of São Luís, from Praia da Guia to Praia do Calhau. The teams worked at sea, on the sand strip and with aerial support, using drones. Kitesurfer Alan Wesley Pinto Ribeiro, aged 29, disappears on Praia de São Marcos, in São Luís. Disclosure/Social media Rough sea made it difficult for teams to work Sea conditions made the search difficult this Sunday. On Avenida Litorânea, the waves were strong during the morning, and even boats and jet skis had difficulty entering the water. According to Lieutenant Colonel Tiago, this period of the year is marked by stronger winds on the beaches of São Luís. The situation was also worsened by the tide conditions in recent days. Because of the conditions, firefighters asked that only experienced volunteers with appropriate equipment participate in the search. The volunteers who arrived at the scene were registered and guided by the Fire Department. Participation was also organized according to schedules to reduce the physical strain on the teams and maintain control of the operation. Lieutenant Colonel Tiago also highlighted that the operation maintained a support structure on site, including to provide assistance to family members. According to him, in addition to the teams involved in the search, there was psychological support and emergency care available. "We are organizing this entire operation to maintain control, avoid exhaustion of the teams and continue the search. This is our intention and we believe that, as soon as possible, we will be able to provide an answer to the family. All support for the teams and family members is also concentrated here", he stated. Firefighters reinforced alert to bathers With the rough sea, the Fire Department also reinforced the guidelines for those who frequented beaches, rivers and resorts. The recommendation was that children always remain close to their guardians, at a distance that would allow them to be reached quickly. Firefighters also advised bathers to avoid entering the sea when the water exceeds navel height, especially in areas with strong waves and rip currents. "The child has to be an arm's length away. We also ask that everyone avoid entering water above the level of their navel. Our beaches, at the moment, have very strong waves and have rip currents", warned the lieutenant colonel. The commander also advised children to wear brightly colored clothing to facilitate identification on the beach, and asked adults to avoid consuming alcoholic beverages before entering the sea. Remember the disappearance Alan Wesley disappeared on Saturday morning (15), while kitesurfing in the region of Praia de São Marcos, on Avenida Litorânea, in São Luís. The search began around 7am. During the operation, the board and kite used by the kitesurfer were found on the sand strip, but Alan had not been located at that time. Throughout Saturday, teams carried out searches by land, sea and air. Images taken by Fire Department drones showed soldiers on a watercraft traveling along the waterfront. During the night, tidal conditions prevented the continuation of searches with boats. Therefore, firefighters began to operate mainly along the sand strip and monitored the area during the early hours of the morning. Family and friends attended the operation. According to the commander of the Maranhão Military Fire Brigade (CBMMA), Colonel Célio Roberto, psychological support was also made available to the family. Volunteers join firefighters in the search for kitesurfer missing at sea in São Luís Disclosure/CBMMA Search for missing kitesurfer resumes at sea this Sunday (16), in São Luís Disclosure/Social networks/BBMar