Portovenere search: Prosecutor opens investigation into missing 21-year-old

Search operations continue for Sebastiano Piaggi, a 21-year-old man who went missing in the sea near Portovenere on Ferragosto after falling from a rubber dinghy while with friends. Following four days of searching, the Spezia Prosecutor's Office has opened a file for 'nautical homicide,' an investigation launched under the assumption that there may no longer be reasonable hope of finding him alive.

The rubber dinghy has been seized, and testimonies from the other individuals on board are being collected. Local authorities, including the President of the Liguria Region and the Undersecretary of Defense, have visited the civil protection operational center to support the ongoing search efforts and express solidarity with the family.

In Riccò del Golfo, the community has organized a moment of prayer and reflection at the Chiesa del Piano to support the family. Meanwhile, in Portovenere, the local patron saint festival was held in a limited capacity following an agreement with the parents, intended as a gesture of hope and intercession for the young man's return.