Three young athletes tragically lost their lives when the vehicle they were traveling in, with a total of nine occupants, collided with a canal following an 18th birthday celebration. The group was returning home after enjoying a night out at a club in Lainate, Italy, when the devastating accident occurred.
The fatal crash claimed the lives of two 17-year-old boys, Lorenzo Benin and Riccardo Provasi, as well as an 18-year-old girl, Camilla Copparoni. The overcrowded five-seater Audi A2, carrying individuals aged between 17 and 19, spiraled out of control near a bend on a dimly lit road around 5:30 am.
After careening into a tree and flipping over, the car landed in a canal in Senago. While Camilla was extracted alive but succumbed to her injuries before reaching the hospital, the bodies of the two 17-year-olds were discovered trapped inside the vehicle by fire service divers.
The other six passengers, hailing from nearby Paderno Dugnano and Cusano Milanino, sustained fractures and bruises. The driver, Gabriele Popovici of Cormano, tested positive for alcohol with a blood alcohol level exceeding the legal limit for new drivers in Italy.
Gabriele, who was in a state of shock, was hospitalized in Milan under police supervision. Authorities suspect that excessive speed might have also played a role in the tragic incident. Most of the occupants were close friends associated with the amateur football club Cusano Calcio, and they will be interrogated once their health permits. Camilla was a volleyball player for Jolly Palazzolo Milanese.
The deceased victims, all residents of Paderno Dugnano, were described by a relative as kind and unsuspecting individuals. Lorenzo and Riccardo, in addition to Gabriele, were members of the amateur football club Cob 91 in Cormano. The two boys who perished were also classmates in Finance and Marketing courses.
Gabriele has been arrested on suspicion of aggravated multiple vehicular manslaughter and is awaiting further questioning.
