A large-scale rescue operation is underway in the Italian Lake Vico, province of Viterbo, where Luigi Cavallari - husband of the Italian Minister of Family, Fertility and Equality Eugenia Rocella - disappeared on the afternoon of June 27.
As of 4:00 a.m. Bulgarian time on June 28, the search continues without result, with the teams switching to the use of specialized deep-sea equipment.
Chronology of the incident
The drama unfolds around 5:30 p.m. local time. Cavallari, 77, a renowned architecture professor, and his wife Eugenia Roccella (72) were out on a small boat trip.
- The Fatal Jump: The professor dived into the water to cool off on a hot day.
- Lost control: After briefly surfacing, he called out that he wasn't feeling well. Since the boat was not anchored, it quickly drifted away under the influence of the currents. Those on board were unable to reach the man in time, and he sank in front of dozens of beachgoers and customers of a nearby waterfront restaurant.
- The reaction: The alarm was raised immediately by Minister Rocella herself.
The night operation
The initial search for a “visual assessment“ by divers jumping directly from a fire and carabinieri helicopter did not yield any results before nightfall. Due to the specific nature of Lake Vico, which is of volcanic origin, the conditions are extremely difficult. The water at a depth of less than 15 meters has a temperature of only 8 degrees, and visibility is almost zero due to the muddy bottom and lush underwater vegetation. On the ground, the operation is being personally coordinated by the Deputy Prefect of Viterbo, Andrea Nino Caputo.
Minister Eugenia Rocella was escorted by the police to her family home in the Viterbo area. She and Cavallari recently celebrated their golden wedding anniversary (in March) and have two sons.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and a number of leading politicians in the country have already publicly expressed their deep sympathy and support for Minister Rocella in these hours of great anxiety.
Source: Rai News) / Corriere della Sera