Smash hit

Ms Gomes, who was with the rescued children at the hospital, told The Times: “The children were playing in the sea and they called for help. Some of the parents went to help them and they got into difficulties.

“Bob and Debbie went into the sea to try to help their children but the waves were too much for them. Jean saw that they were in difficulty and she went in to help.

“The German father rescued his child and got back to the beach but then his heart stopped. The English children were rescued by another man who was on the beach.

Mr and Mrs Plumb, who come from Swindon, were interviewed by police this morning where they were thought to have been asked to re-create the events of yesterday afternoon.

Ms Gomes said: “The beach can be dangerous but there are warning signs saying that there can be currents. Nothing like this has ever happened in the Algarve before. It is a tragedy.”

The British families were staying at the opulent golf resort of Parque de Floresta, near Sagres.

The Portuguese authorities had mounted a large-scale rescue operation involving the Maritime Police, lifeguards and the National Institute of Medical Emergency.

Commander Marques Pereira of the Guarda Nacional Republicana said: “The adults jumped into the water to save the children. Some got out alive but unfortunately some of the others drowned. All the children survived.”

The beach is just 20 miles from Praia da Luz, the resort where Madeleine McCann disappeared.

Pedro Pereira, commander of the local maritime police, said that Tonel beach, where the tragedy occurred, was closed for the winter and signs warned bathers that there were no lifeguards on duty.

“Because summer season is concluded by September 3, the Tonel beach is closed and there is no life-saving personnel," he told the Today programme on BBC Radio 4.

"Reinforcing this, at the entry to the beach there is a sign to warn of this fact."

Police launched an emergency search and rescue operation, involving a boat and helicopter, as soon as they were alerted to the incident, he said.

“As the local commander for this rescue operation, as soon as the distress was known, the necessary staff have been directed to proceed to the beach, namely the medical emergency, life-saving boat, firefighting ambulance, the maritime police, the search and rescue air force marine helicopter, as well as local civil protection resources."

He added: "For the families in mourning I wish to stress my sorrow and compassion. Life continues and despite difficult times to come, good luck to all their seven children that are well.”

He described the weather conditions as sunny and clear and said that police had started to piece together how the accident took place. "Some of the children ran to the water near by a rock in the middle of the beach. Suddenly they called for help and their families’ adults with some other people nearby ran to rescue them from the sea. There are some currents and some deep waters that caused them to get into distress. They asked for help and all the families that are with them, they ran to help them, also some people that were close by.

“Some parents did not find a way to rescue their sons and also to rescue themselves. The final outcome of this tragic situation is four parents dead."

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