The couple’s bodies were taken to a medical centre while authorities contacted the Australian and British embassies in Lisbon.
Mr Kearns was a fly-in, fly-out worker on Chevron’s Wheatstone project in the Pilbara and was a keen recreational diver in his spare time.
His mother said yesterday the couple had left Australia in January on a holiday and had attended a friend’s wedding in Portugal in recent weeks.
Mr Kearns’ parents were notified of their son’s death about 1am and were later visited by WA Police.
A DFAT spokesperson confirmed it was 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,” the spokesperson said.
“Owing to our privacy obligations we will not provide further comment.”
Ericeira is a coastal town regarded as Portugal’s surfing Mecca. Its beach is a popular photo spot for tourists thanks to its cliffs and high wall.
This article originally appeared on PerthNow.