The river water became transparent again. The flow of water at its regular rhythm. The sun shining over the whole area of Premariacco, Udine. And the divers were able to probe even the deepest corners. This is the scenario in which at first light yesterday morning, after almost three days of searches, the lifeless bodies of Patrizia Cormos and Bianca Doros, the two twenty-year-olds swept away last Friday by the river’s flood. Their friend was also with them Cristian Casian Molnar, still missing. They were identified by the firefighters and a mixed team of Civil Protection volunteers from Premariacco, Talmassons and Medea.
Bianca, Patrizia and CristianLet’s remember, they had gone to that little beach to take some photos and celebrate the exam that Patrizia had taken that morning at university. When they arrived, the river was almost dry. The flood wave arrived suddenly: from 15 cubic meters per second to almost 250 in a very short time. At 1.30pm one of the two girls called 112. The alarm went off. Firefighters, municipal workers and the air ambulance arrived. But the firefighters saw the boys slip away, without being able to do anything. And the air ambulance arrived a minute after they fell into the water. Several witnesses witnessed the scene.
The Udine prosecutor’s office has opened a case on the tragedy to ascertain whether or not there have been errors in the sequence of interventions. Doubts remain (as mentioned, about the times and phases of the rescue). And the questions. Did the three young people really perceive the danger? And if so, why didn’t they leave when the water began to transform the little beach they were on into an islet? The mayor of Premariacco, Michele De Sabata, is a bit annoyed by the controversies, even via social media, that are triggered. Every now and then, he says, «a new film comes out, conjectures and speculations are made. Some people said that a video was filmed by the driver of the school bus that passed over the bridge. The poor guy received insults and threats. As if he wanted to speculate. His daughters cried.”
The mayor knows the river well. As a child he used to bathe in it and as soon as he saw the water get dirty he understood that it was time to leave, that the water was coming down from the mountains at great speed. «Here, everyone has a helicopter. Unfortunately, the 118 call arrived one minute after the disappearance of the young people.” But De Sabata is convinced of one thing. «The boys had the opportunity to escape and save themselves. The water was surrounding them but it was still shallow. Chances are they didn’t do it to avoid getting their shoes and clothes wet. This can be understood from the movements made on the gravel. Unfortunately the river was descending at an impressive speed. Seven meters away from them there was a fireman who couldn’t do anything».
The fireman dived. He also risked being dragged by the current. «They are not ignorant or stupid kids – continues the mayor -. They were only there to take some photos, when the sun was shining and there was gravel under their feet.” Meanwhile, searches continue to find the body of the third young man, Cristian Casian Molnar. At work, around forty firefighters and civil protection volunteers. Drones, helicopters and even a dozen canoes are in action.
