A dramatic incident occurred yesterday afternoon in the Italian River Po: a 15-year-old boy went missing after jumping into the water at a point with an extremely strong current and being swept away by the floodwaters. His father was able to rescue another son from the raging waters, while a third child was able to save himself on the shore.
The family was on a beach below the Becca Bridge in the municipality of Linarolo in Lombardy, near where the Ticino flows into the Po. The boy of North African origin, who lives in Pavia, had jumped into the water with his brothers. The currents in this section of the river are known for their treacherous and dangerous nature.
A large-scale search operation by the fire department has been underway in the Po since yesterday afternoon. Water rescue specialists from the Pavia fire department are searching tirelessly for the missing man, supported by divers from regional units in Lombardy and Piedmont. The search had to be interrupted temporarily due to the bad weather, but is continuing at full speed. With every passing hour, however, the hope of finding the 15-year-old alive dwindles.
