Da Costa, a PhD student at the University of Reading was working for hydrology company RSS-Hydro and told Radio 100,7 in a report published on Monday that he had lost his job shortly after the floods. He alleged that he was let go because of political pressure. Following the floods, Da Costa criticised the reaction of the government, saying it came short in terms of warning Luxembourg residents.

The researcher said that he was initially praised by his manager Guy Schumann for the publicity. He gave several interviews at the time which the company had compiled on its YouTube page. That page is no longer accessible. But Da Costa said that after an interview he did was aired on RTL, he started feeling pressured from external sources.

“It did not bother anyone at all whether it was on CNN or the FAZ or in L’essentiel or the Wort, but as soon as it was on RTL on TV, on radio and online, it became a problem,” he said speaking to 100,7.

Schuman denied that there was any political pressure on him to fire his employee, saying it was Da Costa who suggested that he should leave the company in order to avoid undue scrutiny. The researcher said he tried speaking with his manager about preventing damage to the company but did not agree to leaving his job, with which he finances his PhD.