Rough Seas at Rio’s Réveillon: 547 Rescued as Search Continues for Missing Teen

Overview

• By 6:00 on Jan. 1, lifeguards reported 547 rescues between Leme and Copacabana out of 824 statewide, a surge of about 1,800% versus last year’s Réveillon.
• The Marinha and Rio state civil defense issued rough‑sea warnings of waves up to 2.5 meters through early Thursday, with alerts sent to cellphones via Cemaden‑RJ.
• Search operations remain active for a roughly 14‑year‑old who vanished near Posto 2 on Wednesday morning, using helicopters, drones, jet skis, divers and boats in low‑visibility conditions.
• Copacabana’s show ran 12 minutes from 19 barges and drew an estimated 2.6 million on the beach under 16 checkpoint screenings and about 3,500 police, with post‑event bus boarding concentrated at Botafogo’s terminal after a required walk through the tunnel.
• Other cities held organized celebrations with adaptations, including Santos’ projection‑driven show launching its 480th‑anniversary year, Vitória’s 12‑barge display across the orla, and Montes Claros’ lower‑noise fireworks.