In a devastating incident in northern Italy, three young friends, including a couple, were filmed sharing a final embrace before being swept away by sudden flash floods. The tragedy unfolded near the Natisone River in the Friuli region, where Patrizia Cormos, 20, Bianca Doros, 23, and Cristian Molnar, 25, had taken a stroll amid days of torrential rain, via Daily Mial.
The trio, each in their 20s, was last seen alive on a small island in the middle of the river, where the waters surged unexpectedly, trapping them. A video captured during the rescue efforts depicts the friends hugging each other tightly as they stood thigh-deep in the swirling floodwaters, unable to reach safety. Giorgio Basile, the chief of the provincial firefighters in Udine, described the heart-wrenching moment: “We threw them a rope, but they were literally swallowed up by the flood waters in front of our eyes. We watched them disappear” reported by The Telegraph.
Rescue operations continued over the weekend, and by Sunday, the bodies of Ms. Cormos and Ms. Doros were recovered approximately 1,000 meters from where they were last spotted. Ms. Doros, a Romanian visiting family, and Ms. Cormos’s presence in the region marked a chilling end to their visit. The search is ongoing for Mr. Molnar, also Romanian, as the community hopes for closure.
The emergency unfolded quickly on Friday when one of the women contacted the police around 1:35 PM. Firefighters responded swiftly, arriving to find the trio stranded. Despite efforts to secure them with a rope from a nearby bridge, the rapidly moving current proved too strong, pulling them away.
The use of drones, boats, and divers has intensified as rescuers comb the river, having already found a handbag containing the cellphone used for the emergency call. “The main element is not so much the rain, it is the power of the river, the very strong currents,” explained Basile, highlighting the dangerous conditions even for experienced personnel.
This tragic event is part of a larger pattern of severe weather affecting the region. Northern Italy has been grappling with heavy floods that have caused chaos in Milan, Varese, Cremona, and other areas. Recent violent storms in the Friuli and Veneto regions have exacerbated conditions, with more rain expected.
The loss of these young lives has left a community in mourning and has drawn attention to the severe weather challenges facing the region. As investigations continue, the focus remains on understanding this tragedy and preventing future losses.