British tourist feared dead after banana boat capsizes

A BRITISH holidaymaker was last night feared dead after falling into a lake when a banana boat capsized.

Richard Chapelow, 29, was thrown from the inflatable vessel after it flipped at high speed in Portugal.

The accident happened at the Santa Clara Dam around 5pm on Monday.

Last night, friends and family admitted they had lost any hope that he will be found alive.

Mr Chapelow had been a guest at a mansion owned by Jon Hunt, founder of the Foxtons estate agency.

He is thought to have been on holiday with the tycoon’s son, Harry.

Mr Chapelow, pictured, who worked in marketing, had been among a group of ten Britons at the lake, north of the Algarve.

Local fire and rescue chief Mario Batista said four people were on the banana boat with another six on a vessel towing it. Mr Chapelow vanished after all four were thrown in the water.

Mr Batista added: ‘The search teams know they are probably looking for a body at this stage but it may be time before there is any news.

‘Visibility is very poor and the water has a depth of up to 104ft.

‘In a worst case scenario it could take days to find the missing man’s body.’

A statement on behalf of Mr Hunt said: ‘My family and I are devastated by the loss of Richard, following a tragic accident at Santa Clara Dam. Our thoughts and prayers are wholly with Richard’s family, and we ask that both families are given space to grieve such a painful loss.

‘We will be working closely with the Portuguese authorities to understand what has happened, and are grateful to the local police and fire services for their efforts. It is a time of great sorrow.’

A Foreign Office spokesman said: ‘We are assisting the family of a British man reported missing in Portugal and are in contact with the local authorities.’