A 37-year-old British tourist is missing after diving into Lake Como to try to save a father and his 16-year-old son off Dongo. The father and son were rescued by a passing boat and treated for hypothermia, while the rescuer vanished beneath the surface. Rescue teams — including divers, boats, a helicopter, units from Milan and underwater drones — are searching an area where the lake exceeds 200 metres in depth. The incident adds to a series of drownings at Lake Como this summer.
37-Year-Old British Tourist Missing After Diving Into Lake Como To Rescue Father And Son
Six drownings have occurred in Lake Como this summer - Feng Wei Photography
A major search operation is under way after a 37-year-old British tourist disappeared beneath the waters of Lake Como in northern Italy while attempting to rescue a father and his 16-year-old son.
The incident occurred on Monday afternoon off the small commune of Dongo at about 1.30pm local time (12.30pm BST). Local reports say the tourist had been on a rented boat moored nearby together with the boy's family — father, mother and two sons. The father and his 16-year-old son entered the water and began to struggle; the British man dived in to assist.
A passing boat pulled the father and son from the water and they were taken ashore suffering from hypothermia. The rescuer, however, did not resurface, and search teams were immediately deployed.
Search Effort
Divers, rescue boats and a helicopter scoured the area. The coast guard also summoned units from Milan and requested the use of underwater drones to aid the recovery. Authorities have warned that the section of Lake Como where the incident took place reaches depths of more than 200 metres and that water temperatures remain deceptively cold even in summer.
Context And Past Incidents
Officials noted that six people have drowned in Lake Como this summer, including a nine-year-old girl. The case follows similar tragedies involving British visitors to Italian lakes: in 2024, 21-year-old Sam Rigby drowned after swimming from a rented boat on Lake Como; and in 2022, 51-year-old Aran Chada drowned in Lake Garda while trying to save his son, his body later recovered by robot submarines after 26 days at great depth.
The search is ongoing and authorities have not released the name of the missing man. Investigations and recovery efforts continue as conditions permit.
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