British visitor disappears while rescuing father and son in Lake Como

At approximately 1.30 pm CEST, a 37-year-old British tourist dived into Lake Como near the small commune of Dongo after a father and his 16-year-old son began to struggle while swimming away from a rented boat. A nearby boat rescued the father and son, who showed early signs of hypothermia, but the British rescuer disappeared beneath the lake’s surface. Search efforts have deployed helicopters, divers, two underwater drones and Coast Guard units from Milan, with additional units from the third Lake Como Coast Guard Unit joining the operation.

Investigators are examining the sequence of events and have opened a probe into the boat-rental firm. The searched area reaches depths of 150 to over 200 metres, and the incident adds to six drownings reported on the lake this summer.