One dead, woman critically injured after car plunges into Lake Como; fleeing driver arrested
Shortly after midnight on June 16, a car fell into Lake Como after a four-vehicle crash, killing a man and critically injuring a woman. The driver who caused the collision fled on foot but was soon arrested by Carabinieri.
What happened
At around 00:15 on June 16, a chain collision involving four cars occurred on the Strada Statale 340 "Regina" between the lakeside towns of Brienno and Argegno on Lake Como. One vehicle, struck in the collision, broke through a low protective wall and fell several tens of meters into the cold water. A 35-year-old woman inside managed to climb out of the sinking car before it submerged completely. She was rushed to hospital in codice rosso (critical condition). The male passenger was thrown from the vehicle and disappeared. Initial reports listed him as missing.
Rescue and recovery
Firefighters, the coast guard and Carabinieri arrived minutes after the alarm and began searching the area. A helicopter and an alpine-river rescue team (SAF) from Como command were deployed. A crane from Varese was used to lift the wrecked car. Later, divers from the regional unit of the fire department located the man’s body underwater and recovered it. The woman remained hospitalized.
The fleeing driver
Investigators quickly determined that the collision was caused by a car driven by a foreign national residing in Saronno. Witnesses and early reconstruction indicated that after the impact he fled on foot, leaving the scene before rescuers reached the crash site. Carabinieri tracked him down and stopped him a short time later. No identifying details were immediately released.
Other injuries
Three other people were hurt in the pileup. Two men, aged 29 and 30, traveling in a third vehicle, sustained injuries. The driver of the fourth car was unharmed. The road was closed for several hours while teams worked.
