ROME -- Three young finance police officers have plunged to their deaths during a climbing exercise in the mountains of Val Masino, the Alpine Rescue said. 

  The tragic incident occurred on Wednesday in the Asteroid Precipice in the province of Sondrio, an area which has witnessed many rescue operations in the past. The sudden collapse of a rock spur, on which one of the officers was standing, caused all three victims, who were suspended by ropes, to fall 30 M. They are believed to have died instantly from the fall. Two other colleagues, connected to a different climbing party, witnessed the event. 

  The three finance police officers, who all hail from the Valtellina valley, have been named as Luca Piani, 32, from Villa di Tirano, Alessandro Pozzi, 25, from Valfurva, and Simone GIacomelli, 22 who lived in Valdisotto, close to the tourist site of Bormio. 

  An inquest from the Sondrio Public Prosecutor’s Office has been launched to investigate the tragedy, which is currently being treated as a work accident. The victims are yet to undergo post-mortem examinations. 

  Giacomelli and Pozzi enlisted in the Finance Police in 2022, where they served in the Madesimo station. Piani, was stationed under Lieutenant Christian Maioglio in the barracks of the capital of Valtellino.

  President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, expressed his condolences to the victims’ families in a message to the General Commander. “I learnt with deep sadness the news of the three finance police officers who lost their lives today during an exercise in Val di Mello in the province of Sondrio. In these painful circumstances, I would like to express to you, Mr. Commander General, and to the Finance Police, my condolences. Please express my sympathies to the families.” 

 jp-lw