Intensive search operations have been continuing for 3 days for Luigi Cavalieri, the husband of Italian Family Minister Eugenia Roccella, after he went missing in a lake near the capital, Rome, after entering the water to escape the heat wave, in a rescue operation that involved the latest technical means, while the cost of the efforts sparked criticism on social media that prompted Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to intervene.
According to reports published in the Italian press, Luigi Cavalieri, 84 years old, has disappeared since last Saturday in Lake Vico in the Lazio region, after he went into the water to alleviate the effects of the heat wave hitting Italy.
The report indicated that Cavalieri, an engineer and academic, went out to the surface of the water after entering the lake and informed his companions that he was not feeling well, but the boat he was traveling in with his wife drifted because it was not anchored, and those present were unable to reach it in time, before it disappeared under the water.
Minister Eugenia Rukela quickly informed the rescue teams after her husband disappeared, as the couple had gone out on a boat trip to spend some time together, before the day turned into a tragedy.
The report explained that search operations are still continuing without results, with the participation of divers, unmanned underwater vehicles, sonar systems, drones, and robots dedicated to searching the depths. Rescue teams also re-enacted the boat’s movement at the moment of the accident to help locate the missing person.
He added that the mission faces great difficulties due to almost no visibility at a depth exceeding 4 metres.
Cavalieri is a university professor specializing in architecture and construction engineering, and has held several academic positions over the years, including directing the Department of Built Environment Technology and heading the Construction Engineering Program.
The report states that Cavalieri has been married to Minister Rokkella since 1976, and last March the couple celebrated the 50th anniversary of their marriage, and they have two children. The minister had previously stated that she met her husband when she was 18 years old, and said: “Since that time, we have never been apart.”
The extensive searches sparked critical comments on social media sites due to the amount of resources allocated to them, but Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described those comments as “disgusting and inhuman,” while Defense Minister Guido Crosetto considered that they “exceeded all limits of respect for human suffering.”
All eyes remain on Lake Vico, where rescue teams continue their race against time, hoping to find Cavalieri days after his disappearance.
