The Lisbon-Madeira-Azores aerial crossing was prepared by the Naval Aeronautical Services, directed by the Navy Captain Aires de Sousa. The Fokker T.III hydroplane (nº25), named “Infante de Sagres”, commanded by Second Lieutenants João Moreira de Campos (1899-1960) and José das Neves Ferreira (1898-1973) ditched the plane off Porto Santo on the 21st of April 1926, having been towed to the town of Santa Cruz at dawn the next day.
Six years before this event, Brito Pais and Sarmento de Beires had made an attempt to establish an air connection between Lisbon and Madeira (which, however, managed to connect Lisbon to Macau in 1924), which was followed by another one occurred on the 22nd of March 1921, by Sacadura Cabral and Gago Coutinho in a Felixtowe F-3 hydroplane.
The aviators Moreira de Campos and Neves Ferreira, were welcomed by the population and by the island authorities and were offered several tributes in Santa Cruz and Funchal. They remained on the island until May 9th, 1926 and then continued their journey to the Azores.

Credits: Madeira Photography Museum - Atelier Vicente's

Perestrellos Photographos | 1926-04-22

13 x 18 cm | Simple negative, glass | Gelatin-silver print

Hydroplane "Infante Sagres" flying over Funchal Bay | PER / 2453

João Moreira de Campos and José das Neves Ferreira on the "Infante Sagres" hydroplane after the landing, in Funchal bay | PER / 2451

Mooring of the "Infante Sagres" hydroplane to a motorboat, in Funchal bay | PER / 2450