A British man in his late 30s has gone missing in Italy after diving into Lake Como in an attempt to rescue a 16-year-old boy and his father, who were struggling in the water.
The man, who was friends with the family, was on a boating trip with them when he noticed the father and his teenage son in difficulty near the western shore of the lake on Monday afternoon.
He entered the water to help them, but disappeared beneath the surface and has not been seen since.
The father and son were eventually rescued by a passing boat and taken aboard a coastguard vessel, where they received medical attention for symptoms of hypothermia.
The UK Foreign Office said, “We are supporting the family of a British national missing in Italy and are in contact with the local authorities.”
Italian authorities have launched a major search operation involving helicopters, divers and boats from the fire service, coastguard and state police.
According to the Italian Coast Guard, two underwater robots were also being prepared for deployment because parts of the search area are more than 250 metres deep, making it impossible for divers to reach the lake bed.
The alarm was raised at about 1:30pm local time on Monday after the man saw his friend and the boy struggling in the water and jumped in to assist them.
The teenager’s mother, who was on the boat with her younger son, contacted emergency services after witnessing the British man sink below the surface.
The father and 16-year-old boy were brought aboard a coastguard boat and treated, while the mother and her younger son, who had drifted about 600 metres from the shore, were taken safely back to land.
The coastguard initially gave a different account, saying the father had entered the water to rescue his son and the 37-year-old British man, before later correcting its version of events.
Lake Como, located about 30 miles north of Milan, is a popular tourist destination that attracted more than 78,000 foreign visitors in 2024, according to local chamber of commerce research.
Water temperatures in the lake can also begin to drop from September, adding to the risks faced by people swimming in its waters.
