ROME – An investigation into the house boat that capsized on Lake Maggiore this week, leaving four people dead, has disclosed that several revelers on board the vessel rented for an impromptu floating nocturnal 'birthday party' were fun-loving Italian '007s' -- spies -- and members of the Israeli Mossad intelligence service on the razzle, intelligence sources say. Investigators said the boat was carrying more secret passengers than its maximum capacity, making it a tragedy waiting to happen when freak bad weather apparently struck. 

 Among the four people who died in what Italian authorities insist was an accident caused by a whirlwind or tornado were two Italian secret agents -- Tiziana Barnobi and Claudio Alonzi, aged 53 and 62, as well as a "former member" of the Israeli security services, the 53-year old Shimoni Erez, and the Russian wife of the boat's owner. 50-year-old Anna Bozhkova, reportedly active in pro-Putin propaganda. 

 The investigation also revealed that the boat was carrying more passengers than was safe when it overturned, as the maximum capacity was 15 yet as many as 23 people were on board when the vessel was struck by a whirlwind. The overcrowding of the vessel evidently compromised the skipper's manoeuvrability, especially in the extreme weather conditions. 

 The owner of the boat, variously described as a houseboat and a sailing vessel, the 53-year-old Carlo Carminati, is under investigation for responsibility for the shipwreck, because he allegedly failed to comply with navigation laws when he allowed the ship to sail whilst being overcrowded during dangerous weather conditions. 

 The rest of the partying spooks on board, managed to get safely to shore by swimming or being plucked from the chilly waters by a rescuing police chopper and rescue boats. The first man to swim to shore alerted the emergency services who quickly rushed to aid, however it had been too late for four of the passengers including Ms Boshkova who was trapped in the boat's cabin with her dog when it sank.

  Italian spies decided to throw the water-born party for the Israeli spy delegation after the Israelis missed a flight home and had two days on their hands, Fatto Quotidiano reported. It was unclear why the Mossad team was in northern Italy.

  The unusual gathering of Italian and Israeli spooks has led to speculation in some Italian media that the boat may have been sabotaged. Italian security sources denied reports that British Secret Intelligence Service spies also were among the revellers on the fated boat, AGI news agency said.  

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