A dramatic rescue operation took place yesterday in the Caletta dell'acquario bay in the Ustica Marine Protected Area. Six young men from the island of Ustica - all experienced fishermen and boat rental companies - rescued two teenagers and a diver from drowning. In doing so, they put their own lives at risk.
Despite strong winds and high waves, two men in their mid-twenties - a boy and a girl - had decided to go swimming. Suddenly, the weather deteriorated rapidly. From the beach, bathers alerted the port authority and threw them a lifebuoy. But the waves and gusts of wind, which were up to two meters high, prevented an inflatable boat from the coastguard, which arrived quickly, from reaching the casualties.
The girl was eventually able to save herself on a rock, while her boyfriend tried in vain to reach the beach. At this critical moment, a 40-year-old diver jumped into the sea to help. While the teenager was able to hold on to the lifebuoy, the diver was forced out to sea.
When the situation seemed hopeless, Salvatore Zanca, Peppino, Marco and Mauro Mancuso, Roberto D'Acquisto and Mario Alexa, who know the waters of Ustica like the back of their hands, managed to reach and rescue the 40-year-old in a dangerously swaying rubber dinghy.
Mayor Salvatore Militello expressed the thanks of the entire municipality to the six "hero boys". However, Davide Bruno, Director of the Marine Protected Area, urged caution: "You must always inform yourself before going into the water and also listen to the advice of local experts, especially on days that are at the limit." The sea is unpredictable and can change in a matter of minutes.
