Accident in Italy: 20-year-old falls from pleasure boat - search for missing person continues

Chiara L. from Regensburg had plans for her future. She had just moved into her first flat and wanted to study philosophy. But her life ended tragically on 1 September 2023 at a friend's birthday party in Italy. She has been missing ever since. Her mother Irena L. launched a fundraising campaign for another search.

What had happened?

According to various media reports, Chiara L. lost consciousness that evening and fell from a 450-horsepower sports boat into Lake Iseo. The 20-year-old's sister and four other friends were also on board. The accident was caused by a mistake made by a friend who is said not to have been in possession of a driving licence: She suddenly stepped on the gas, the motorboat accelerated sharply and Chiara L. lost her balance. She is said to have been on the bow at the time. She apparently hit her head against a windscreen and fell into the water. The darkness and depth were her undoing, as her mother told the Swiss newspaper Blick. Despite an intensive search, there is still no trace of her body.

Search for Chiara L.

In recent months, search teams have repeatedly searched Lake Iseo. So far, these efforts have been unsuccessful, despite the use of helicopters, boats, divers, sonar equipment and underwater cameras. Now the rescue teams are relying on water search dogs from Starnberg to continue the search.

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In order to finance the water search dogs and support the rescuers, mum Irena L. has launched a fundraising campaign on the "Gofundme" website. The dogs specialise in finding missing people even after several months.

Hope for the family

As Chiara L. has not yet been found, family and friends were able to hold a funeral service in February to say goodbye to her. But without a body, there is no grave, i.e. no final resting place. In the event that Chiara L. is not found, Irena L. has agreed with the mayor of Pisogne on Lake Iseo to erect a memorial plaque by the lake. This will honour Chiara L. and her personality and will be visited by her family every year. The family continues to hope that Chiara L. will be found alive.