Palmarola catamaran crash leaves child with serious head injury
On 25 July 2026 a child sustained a severe head injury after falling from a catamaran in the waters off the island of Palmarola, part of the Pontine archipelago. The vessel’s crew alerted authorities and the Guardia di Finanza’s coastal patrol boat V. 905, based in Anzio, arrived within minutes. The finance officers provided first aid, stabilised the youngster and coordinated an urgent transfer to the port of Ponza, where a helicopter from the aeronaval unit in Civitavecchia was already on standby. The child was air‑lifted to a hospital on the Tyrrhenian coast for immediate treatment. The rapid, multi‑agency response was credited with preventing a more serious outcome, highlighting the importance of maritime safety patrols in the region.