Chilling unanswered questions have been raised about the mysterious deaths of a young couple who were found at the bottom of a cliff in Portugal.
Australian Michael Kearns, 33, was holidaying with his British girlfriend Louise Benson, 37, when the pair were found dead at a popular surf beach in the seaside town of Eceira.
The couple plunged 30 metres off the rocky cliff after reportedly taking a selfie and losing their balance sometime between 1am and 6am local time on June 12.
But devastated family members feel uneasy about the sudden loss of their loved ones, asking why local investigators haven’t done more to help give them ‘closure’.
Michael Kearns, 33, was holidaying with his British-born partner Louise Benson, 37, before the pair were found dead at a popular surf beach in the seaside town of Eceira
![British national Louise Benson (pictured), 37, has been remembered as a 'gentle soul'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/06/13/15/4D2FE50100000578-5839155-image-m-19_1528898750981.jpg)
British national Louise Benson (pictured), 37, has been remembered as a ‘gentle soul’
![The couple were reportedly still drinking at 4am before their fall, and a woman walking her dog along the edge of the cliff heard a scream or shot just after 5am](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/06/17/02/4D51511700000578-5852653-The_couple_were_reportedly_still_drinking_at_4am_before_their_fa-m-1_1529200092344.jpg)
The couple were reportedly still drinking at 4am before their fall, and a woman walking her dog along the edge of the cliff heard a scream or shot just after 5am
According to an investigation by News Corp, Portugese police are yet to interview anyone who was with the couple in the time before they fell to their deaths.
The couple were reportedly still drinking at 4am before their fall, and a woman walking her dog along the edge of the cliff heard a scream or shot just after 5am.
She is yet to speak to police.
A man who lives in the town said he had been drinking with the couple before going home at 2am – but the owner of a bar said she saw the man drinking with Mr Kearns and Ms Benson until 4am. Neither have been spoken to by police.
‘Everything seems to indicate that the fall happened when they were probably trying to take a selfie,’ said Rui Pereira da Terra, head of the rescue service in Cascais port.
‘It seems they dropped their mobile phone and fell down while leaning over to retrieve it,’ he added.
But social media users have since pointed out there was little evidence to back up the policeman’s apparent assertion the pair were taking a selfie before their fall.
The cliff-face would have been pitch black, and there was light rain at the time they were supposed to have taken their photo.
Portugese police have not sought CCTV of the supposed fall. Ms Benson was reportedly holding hair in her hands when her body was found.
![Portugese police are yet to interview anyone who was with the couple in the time before they fell to their deaths at Praia dos Pescadores (Fishermen's Beach)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/06/17/01/4D515E7500000578-5852653-image-a-2_1529196700339.jpg)
Portugese police are yet to interview anyone who was with the couple in the time before they fell to their deaths at Praia dos Pescadores (Fishermen’s Beach)
![A man who lives in the town said he had been drinking with the couple before going home at 2am - but the owner of a bar said she saw the man drinking with Mr Kearns and Ms Benson until 4am](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/06/17/01/4D51523700000578-5852653-image-a-4_1529196716230.jpg)
A man who lives in the town said he had been drinking with the couple before going home at 2am – but the owner of a bar said she saw the man drinking with Mr Kearns and Ms Benson until 4am
![There is no evidence the pair took a selfie before their fall, and the cliff-face would've been dark and there was light rain when they are supposed to have taken their photo](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/06/17/01/4D51519D00000578-5852653-image-a-5_1529196721566.jpg)
There is no evidence the pair took a selfie before their fall, and the cliff-face would’ve been dark and there was light rain when they are supposed to have taken their photo
Mr Kearns father Bill told the Herald Sun his son was a ‘rough diamond with a heart of gold’ and his girlfriend was a ‘beautiful girl with a beautiful nature’.
He said he wished he knew what had happened to his son.
Bill Kearns’ wife Kathy said she hopes the family can find some closure.
A local fisherman found the two bodies in the sand beside a mobile phone early in the morning at Pescadores beach in Ericeira, 30km from Lisbon.
They are believed to have checked in to a guesthouse about 3pm on the afternoon before the fall, before heading out for a walk through town.
![Mr Kearns father Bill said his son (left) was a 'rough diamond with a heart of gold' and his girlfriend (right) was a 'beautiful girl with a beautiful nature](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/06/14/01/4D34D66B00000578-5841905-image-a-18_1528935992633.jpg)
Mr Kearns father Bill said his son (left) was a ‘rough diamond with a heart of gold’ and his girlfriend (right) was a ‘beautiful girl with a beautiful nature
![The couple were in Portugal for a friend's recent wedding before the fatal cliff wall fall (pictured). Their bodies were found by a beach cleaner next to a mobile phone](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/06/13/00/4D2B6C8800000578-5837045-Tragedy_A_man_in_his_40s_and_woman_in_her_30s_were_taking_a_pict-m-31_1528845125396.jpg)
The couple were in Portugal for a friend’s recent wedding before the fatal cliff wall fall (pictured). Their bodies were found by a beach cleaner next to a mobile phone
![Australian Michael Kearns, 33, (pictured) plunged to his death alongside his British partner after the pair reportedly slipped while taking a selfie](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/06/13/15/4D2F099C00000578-5839155-Australian_Michael_Kearns_33_pictured_plunged_to_his_death_along-a-16_1528898720091.jpg)
Australian Michael Kearns, 33, (pictured) plunged to his death alongside his British partner after the pair reportedly slipped while taking a selfie
They then ordered food and drinks at a restaurant at South Beach before leaving at 8.30pm – although there is confusion about the time they left.
They arrived at a pizzeria before ordering dinner and sharing drinks with another couple and a local man.
Mr Kearns and Ms Benson then went to another bar with the local man about 12.30am, before leaving at 2am.
The couple then arrived at Bar Neptuno with a group of about eight people including the local man.
The group left the bar at 4am, before a woman walking her dog near the cliff walls at the beach heard a scream.
![In a chilling twist, Mr Kearns shared a photo (pictured) of a glass of red wine on the beach with the exact 30-metre wall he would fall from just 24 hours before his death](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/06/13/13/4D2F098F00000578-5839155-image-a-44_1528891918001.jpg)
In a chilling twist, Mr Kearns shared a photo (pictured) of a glass of red wine on the beach with the exact 30-metre wall he would fall from just 24 hours before his death
A beach cleaner then found the couple’s bodies at 6.45am. They had been fatally injured when they hit a sign at the bottom of the cliff.
Two sources with knowledge of the incident said Ms Benson was clutching hairs when she was found, and samples were taken from the scene for forensic investigation.
Tributes have begun to flow for the beloved couple, who left Australia in January to travel the world.
The pair attended a friend’s wedding in Portugal just weeks earlier.
Mr Kearns was a part-time worker at energy company Chevron’s enormous Wheatstone project, a natural gas plant currently under construction in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
Ms Benson, who was originally from Bristol, and a keen diver like Mr Kearns, regularly took to social media to share photos of her overseas journey – including snaps of a dive the pair enjoyed in Sri Lanka in February.
Her friends have written poignant tributes following her death, with one posting online: ‘It can be such a cruel world we live in, RIP Louise Benson yet again another great soul (taken) away from us far too early.’
![Ms Benson was travelling with her Australian partner when the tragedy unfolded](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/06/13/13/4D2F081900000578-5839155-image-a-43_1528891908038.jpg)
Ms Benson was travelling with her Australian partner when the tragedy unfolded
![A beach cleaner found two bodies in the sand beside a mobile phone early Tuesday morning](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/06/13/13/4D2F080900000578-5839155-image-a-45_1528891927928.jpg)
A beach cleaner found two bodies in the sand beside a mobile phone early Tuesday morning
In another touching tribute, a friend posted: ‘No words can describe what we have lost.
‘Louise Benson you had a passion for life. A quiet, not for long (though), Bristol girl who just loved life.
‘Your smiles infectious, your laughs amazing, your friendship invaluable and just the love you have out… in shock and speechless. You will be missed and I will miss you so much. Love you Lou, one in a million.’
In a chilling twist, Mr Kearns shared a photo of a glass of red wine on the beach with the exact 30-metre wall he would fall from just 24 hours before his death.
![Mr Kearns was a fly-in fly-out (FIFO) worker at Chevron's Wheatstone project in the Pilbara, Western Australia, and enjoyed diving](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/06/13/13/4D2F081000000578-5839155-image-m-48_1528892001638.jpg)
Mr Kearns was a fly-in fly-out (FIFO) worker at Chevron’s Wheatstone project in the Pilbara, Western Australia, and enjoyed diving
![The 33-year-old man and 37-year-old woman are believed to have fallen between 1am and 6am in Ericeira (stock image) after they had been travelling overseas since Januar](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/06/13/13/4D2F084900000578-5839155-image-a-47_1528891957894.jpg)
The 33-year-old man and 37-year-old woman are believed to have fallen between 1am and 6am in Ericeira (stock image) after they had been travelling overseas since Januar
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed that one Australian had died while the British Foreign Office said a British woman had passed away.
Pescadores beach is ringed by cliffs and a 30-metre high wall covered in shrubs.
A DFAT spokesperson said it was ‘providing consular assistance to the family of an Australian who died in Portugal.
![The Australian couple fell to their deaths in Portugal while apparently taking a selfie. Pictured is the beach wall they fell from](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/06/13/16/4D2B6C8C00000578-5839155-The_Australian_couple_fell_to_their_deaths_in_Portugal_while_app-a-6_1528904504498.jpg)
The Australian couple fell to their deaths in Portugal while apparently taking a selfie. Pictured is the beach wall they fell from
‘The Department has been in contact with the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office regarding the other person who died in the incident. Owing to our privacy obligations we will not provide further comment.’
A spokeswoman for the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: ‘We are in touch with local authorities following the death of a British woman in Portugal and are providing support to her family.’
The beach is at a surfing town on Portugal’s western Atlantic Ocean coast.
It is a popular hotpot, with countless tourists uploading their pictures of the enormous wall on Instagram.
![Pescadores beach is ringed by cliffs and a 30-metre high wall covered in shrubs](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/06/13/03/4D2BA60A00000578-5837045-Pescadores_beach_is_ringed_by_cliffs_and_a_30_metre_high_wall_co-a-2_1528855349952.jpg)
Pescadores beach is ringed by cliffs and a 30-metre high wall covered in shrubs
![The beach (pictured in an Instagram post) is at a surfing town on Portugal's western Atlantic Ocean coast](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/06/13/16/4D2BA61200000578-5839155-The_beach_pictured_in_an_Instagram_post_is_at_a_surfing_town_on_-a-5_1528904504218.jpg)
The beach (pictured in an Instagram post) is at a surfing town on Portugal’s western Atlantic Ocean coast