A source from Civil Protection told Lusa the body was recognised by the Judicial Police.

The body was found about a mile off the coast of the fishing parish of Ribeira Quente, Povoação county, in the area where a fisherman found alleged human remains on Sunday, already after the end of the day's search operation.

The searches ended around 5pm (local time, 16pm in Lisbon), due to the rise of the tide, which "hinders the operations, since there are no longer safety conditions for professionals who are on the ground," explained to Lusa source of Civil Protection.

The operation will resume on Tuesday, around 8am, and is expected to end at 6pm, time of high tide.

On Tuesday, 29 June, 12 entities and 46 elements, two boats and two drones will be involved in the search.

On Friday, the heavy rain caused the dragging of a vehicle of the Santa Casa da Misericórdia da Povoação, where the two employees were following, who would be doing home support.

The car where the two women were following was found that very day at the bottom of a creek, stuck and overturned, near Povoação, but no one was seen.

The search for the two women has involved members of the Regional Civil Protection and Fire Brigade of the Azores (SRPCBA), the five fire brigades of São Miguel, the municipal civil protection service of Povoação, the Captaincy of the Port of Ponta Delgada, the Maritime Police, the Association of Swimming-Savers of the North Coast and the PSP.