Four dead after boat carrying British tourists on Italian lake capsizes in whirlwind: Nineteen survivors swim to shore as birthday celebrations disrupted by tragedy
- The 52-foot boat was carrying more than 20 tourists and crew.
Four people have died after a boat carrying British tourists capsized on the beautiful Italian resort of Lake Maggiore.
A sudden whirlwind capsized the 52-foot boat yesterday in the northern region of Lombardy, plunging more than 20 tourists and crew members into the lake’s icy waters.
Italian firefighters said 19 people, who had been celebrating a birthday on the boat, managed to swim to shore.
But four, including a 53-year-old man, were found dead in the waters by rescuers, local television Tgcom24 reported.
“The bodies of four people have been recovered,” fire brigade spokesman Luca Cari said.
An air ambulance flies over Lake Maggiore after a tourist boat with more than 20 people capsized in a storm.
Remains of the 52-foot boat were seen floating in the 41-mile lake after the tragedy.
A search and rescue mission involving divers, boats and a helicopter was launched after the vessel capsized in the 41-mile lake, which straddles the Swiss border.
The Foreign Office is in contact with local officials in Italy to offer assistance to the British citizens involved.
The whirlwind that hit the ship was part of a storm that hit Lombardy yesterday, also causing delays at Malpensa airport near Milan.
The ship was carrying Italian and foreign tourists, including British and German, and quickly sank, taking one of the victims with it, according to reports.
Video from firefighters showed a search-and-rescue helicopter flying over rough water, where chairs and other debris were floating.
According to reports in the Italian newspaper La Repubblica, two were taken to hospital in “moderately critical” condition, while three were taken in “not very critical condition.”
Another 15 were treated at the scene and did not require further medical attention, according to reports.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We are in contact with local authorities in Italy following a boat accident and stand ready to provide consular assistance to any British nationals involved.”
Lake Maggiore, which is located on the southern side of the Alps, is the second largest lake in Italy and is a popular tourist destination.
I am Rakesh Sharma, I associated with Elite News as an Editor, since 2021. I take care of all the news operations like content, budget, hiring and policy making.