Bad weather on Lake Como: after the San Giovanni fireworks, 45 sailors in difficulty were rescued during the night

On Saturday 22 June, Lake Como, in the Tremezzina area, was crowded with hundreds of boats for the traditional San Giovanni festival. However, the return after the fireworks risked turning into a tragedy. From Saturday evening until dawn on Sunday morning there were 12 search and rescue events coordinated on Lake Como by the Naval Vessel Unit of the Coast Guard, a recently inaugurated garrison; in all, 45 boaters (including children) were rescued and assisted on boats in difficulty due to the swell produced by the strong gusts of wind from the north-west, which exceeded 30 knots on the Lario. In addition to the two naval units assigned to the 1st Naval Vessels Unit of the Lake Como Coast Guard based in Menaggio, the Fire Brigade, the Auxiliary Coast Guard and the Como Air Rescue also intervened. Some of the rescued boats were stranded on the cliffs while others, at the mercy of the waves, risked ending up on the rocky coast. In the first week after the opening of the Coast Guard naval vessel unit on Lake Como, territorially dependent on the Maritime Directorate of Genoa, the following were recorded: 24 missions carried out; 325 miles travelled; 87 checks carried out regarding the safety of recreational navigation; 13 search and rescue activities with 47 people rescued.