Exhaustion

Photographer

João Coelho

Category

Editorial Photography - Documentary

Company

Submission Group

Amateur

Year

2025

Country / Region:

Portugal

This group of young people risks their lives daily in a ship graveyard. They dive into dark, sediment- and oil-filled waters to tear iron plates from sunken ship hulls. Using only their hands and the strength of their arms, they engage in a titanic collective effort. Even when exhausted, they must find the strength to fight the waves and currents and drag the heavy pieces to the beach. The day only ends when the pieces are weighed and the meager earnings are divided among them