The body of 23-year-old Julian Amaral, who disappeared after a boat party in Lisbon, Portugal, has been found in the Tagus River. Portuguese Maritime Police confirmed the discovery on Sunday evening near the Liscont Terminal in Alcantara.
Maraal vanished around midnight on Wednesday. A search involving police divers was initiated shortly after his disappearance. Unconfirmed reports suggested that CCTV footage showing him falling into the river had been recovered.
Personnel from the Lisbon Local Maritime Police Command and the Lisbon Regiment of Specialist Firefighters were deployed after receiving an alert around 7:20 p.m. on Sunday. Firefighters recovered the body, and a health delegate certified the death. The body was subsequently transported to the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences in Lisbon. The Maritime Police Psychology Office is providing support to Amaral's family.
His sister, Jennifer, confirmed the tragic news, stating, "They have found Julian. He is no longer with us."
Amaral, from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, was on holiday in Portugal and staying at a relative's house. He was attending an all-white-dress-code youth event called the Vida de Jovem Boat Party, which featured music genres such as Afro house and Afrobeat. He was on the vessel with his cousin.
Prior to the discovery, Portuguese police had announced they were scaling back the search efforts. A Maritime Police chief indicated that indications suggested he may have fallen into the water. Initially, there was speculation that the young man might have left the vessel voluntarily.
The search operations had involved nautical resources from the Lisbon Harbour Master's Office and the Local Command of the Lisbon Maritime Police. However, the search was suspended on Saturday night without him being found, with daily patrol activities by the National Maritime Authority set to continue the search.
A security guard on board the boat reportedly told police he saw Amaral leaving the vessel shortly after midnight on Wednesday, as it docked at Rocha Conde de Obidos. Conflicting information had suggested he disappeared after stating he was going to the bathroom around 11:25 p.m. the previous Tuesday.
An autopsy is expected to take place. Maraal's sister had made an emotional appeal for information and continued searching before the body was found, expressing her deep love and gratitude for the support received from family, friends, and the public.