Couple on holiday in Portugal plunge to their deaths taking a selfie

A Perth couple who were visiting Portugal to attend a friend’s wedding have plunged to their deaths down a 30-metre beach wall while trying to take a selfie from a viewpoint overlooking Pescadores  Beach in Ericeira, 35km northeast of Lisbon.

Ericeira is a fishing town favoured by surfers.

Michael Kearns (33) from Perth and his British girlfriend, Louise Benson (37) also from Perth, had been vacationing in Europe since January Michael’s mother told PerthNow.

Belongings were found at the top of the wall and the fall is thought to have happened between 1am and 6am.

Fishermen who saw them lying on the beach at the bottom of the wall described  a ‘scene of horror’ to local media. They had first thought the couple were sleeping but when they got closer they realised they were dead.

The Rescue Service Chief told Luna News Agency: “Everything seems to indicate that the fall happpened when they were probably trying to take a selfie.

“Since we found a mobile phone on the wall, everything suggests the victims might have been taking a selfie – when they allowed the phone to fall, they leaned over to grab it and fell.”