Perth man Michael Kearns, 33, and his English girlfriend Louise Benson have been named by media as the couple who died after falling off a beach wall in Portugal.
Mr Kearns and Ms Benson, also aged in her 30s, plunged more than 30 metres to their deaths between 1am and 6am on Tuesday morning (local time) after falling from a beach wall in the seaside town of Ericeira.
Local rescue service captain Rui Pereira da Terra told Portuguese news agency Lusa a mobile phone was found resting on the wall, suggesting a fatal photography mishap.
"It seems that (the victims) might be getting a 'selfie', when they let the phone fall, leaned over to grab it and fell," he was quoted as saying.
Louise Benson was a British national. Source: Facebook
Mr Kearns' mother is planning to travel to Portugal as soon as possible to bring her son's body home, according to PerthNow.
"It is with a heavy heart I have to announce that Michael and Louise were taken from us in a tragic accident in Portugal," Kathy Kearns posted on Facebook, alongside a photo of the couple, on Wednesday.
"Will be greatly missed by all of us who love them."
The couple left Australia in January on holiday and had gone to a friend's wedding in Portugal recently, the website reported.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade told AAP it is providing consular assistance to "the family of an Australian who died in Portugal".
"The Department has been in contact with the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office regarding the other person who died in the incident," DFAT said in a statement on Wednesday.
Ericeira in Lisbon, Portugal. Source: Google Maps
