Tragedy struck on Lake Maggiore in northern Italy as a boat carrying over 20 passengers, including tourists, succumbed to powerful winds and sank, resulting in the loss of four lives. The incident occurred on Sunday evening between Sesto Calende and Arona, according to reports from Italian media.
Fortunately, five individuals were rescued from the waters and promptly transported to the hospital for medical attention. Although unverified, Italian media outlets suggest that the victims comprise Italian, Israeli, and Russian nationals. Among them was a Russian woman, reported to be the partner of the boat’s skipper.
Attilio Fontana, the president of the Lombardy region, expressed his deep concern, labelling the incident as a “very serious” consequence of adverse weather conditions. In a Facebook post, Fontana disclosed that the boat, which had been hired by tourists, measured 16 meters (52 feet) in length.
#Varese, imbarcazione ribaltata nel lago Maggiore: recuperato il corpo senza vita della quarta persona, l’ultima delle quattro segnalate come disperse. Concluse le operazioni di ricerca da parte dei #vigilidelfuoco, inizia il recupero dell’imbarcazione [#29maggio 8:00] pic.twitter.com/NZAcdBe77r
— Vigili del Fuoco (@vigilidelfuoco) May 29, 2023
Local news sources indicate that the vessel was carrying approximately 25 individuals who were celebrating a birthday when an unexpected storm escalated into a “small hurricane” over the lake. The boat capsized and quickly submerged, leaving everyone on board in the water. However, numerous passengers managed to swim to safety or were rescued by other boats.
Following the distress call, rescue divers, a helicopter, ambulances, and an air ambulance were deployed to the southern end of the lake to assist in the search and rescue efforts. A video shared by firefighters portrayed the turbulent waters littered with debris, including floating chairs.
Lake Maggiore, situated on the southern side of the Alps, serves as a shared attraction for both Italy and Switzerland, drawing numerous tourists. Inclement weather conditions had plagued the area in recent days, prompting the Italian meteorological service to issue thunderstorm warnings.
