Body of Family Minister Roccella's husband recovered from Lake Vico after weeks of searches

Rome – The body of Luigi Cavallari, the 84 year old husband of Family Minister Eugenia Roccella, has been recovered from Lake Vico more than five weeks after he disappeared while swimming during a boating trip.

Cavallari had been missing since June 27 after diving into the volcanic lake in the province of Viterbo during an outing with his wife and other companions. According to investigators' reconstruction, he resurfaced shortly after entering the water and reportedly said that he was feeling unwell. Before the boat could reach him, however, he disappeared beneath the surface.

His body was located on Tuesday morning following an extensive search operation that had continued for more than a month. Formal identification is expected to take place in the coming hours, while prosecutors are also expected to order a post mortem examination to establish the precise cause of death.

In a brief statement, Roccella said the discovery had brought to an end "a harrowing wait," thanking everyone involved in the search efforts and those who had expressed their support during the ordeal.

The search operation involved Carabinieri officers, specialist firefighters' diving teams and additional divers from across Italy under the coordination of the Prefecture of Viterbo. Rescue teams also deployed advanced underwater technology, including remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) equipped with cameras and sonar systems to scan the lake bed.

The operation was complicated by the challenging conditions of Lake Vico, a volcanic lake situated more than 500 metres above sea level. Its muddy floor and heavy sediment, stirred up by underwater currents, severely reduce visibility, which falls dramatically beyond depths of four to five metres. Low water temperatures further hampered diving operations.

Cavallari was a respected academic and former professor of Environmental Technology at the Gabriele d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara.

The recovery brings to a close weeks of uncertainty for Cavallari's family and for the rescue teams who had maintained an intensive search despite the difficult underwater conditions.

PS