Search and rescue crews are scouring Lake Como in northern Italy for Mattheus Gosseling, a 45-year-old Dutch tourist who vanished beneath the surface after diving in to rescue his 16-year-old son.
The incident occurred around 12:30 p.m. on 25 July 2026 near the town of Menaggio, where the lake bed drops sharply from 25 metres to more than 100 metres. A passing boat pulled the teenager from the water, but Gosseling submerged and did not resurface.
The coast guard, firefighters, police and financial guard are coordinating the operation. Specialist divers from the coast guard's 5th Sub-Aqua Unit in Genoa are en route with remotely operated vehicles and sonar equipment to conduct deep-water searches. As of 26 July, operations are ongoing.