Vita gazette – Overcapacity and storm have taken lives. An accident that killed four people. The boat that sank in Lake Maggiore could not accommodate more than 15 people.

The boat sank in Lake Maggiore on the afternoon of Sunday, 28 May. The 15-metre houseboat was more than 40 years old and sank in the waters of Lake Maggiore around 7.30 pm on Sunday, 28 May. The boat owned by Claudio Carminati, called Gooduria, was overwhelmed by a whirlwind that threw him and the other 24 people on board at the time into the water. An accident that caused the death of four people, including his wife, Anna Bozhkova, and on which the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Busto Arsizio is investigating. The maximum capacity, which Carminati himself had indicated, was 15 people.

Witnesses: “Never seen such a whirlwind”

On a website dedicated to boat rental, Carminati presented his boat as a “unique piece of its kind”. Customers were offered an “all-inclusive” package with banquets and catering services. The crew consisted of the man and his wife, Bozhkova.

The necessary maintenance and certifications are under review

At 17, however, a storm, complete with heavy hailstorms, hit the province of Varese. The Gooduria was located about 150 meters from the coast, in the Lisanza area, in Sesto Calende. Some boats, seeing the worsening weather conditions, had already returned well in advance, and others were doing the same.

The boat is still 16 meters deep in the lake. However, a way is being studied to bring it back to the surface, and when this is done, it will undergo technical inspections. Under examination will be the state of maintenance of the vehicle, compliance with the safety measures envisaged, the necessary certifications and, indeed, the vehicle’s capacity.