A serious incident has been reported at the port of Cattolica in Italy, where, according to Italian media, a 45-year-old Albanian man is suspected of driving a car into the sea while his wife was also inside. Both got out of the vehicle in the final moments, while the man later left the scene and is being sought.
What happened at the port of Cattolica
The incident happened on Wednesday afternoon, at around 16:00, in the port area of Cattolica. According to reports from Italy, the couple were in a Volkswagen Golf when, after a heated argument, the 45-year-old drove the vehicle at speed toward the shore and ended up in the water.
The version published so far speaks of a sharp conflict between the spouses shortly before the car fell into the port. The full circumstances remain under verification by the Italian authorities.
Getting out of the car and the intervention of people near the port
At the moment the vehicle hit the water, the doors opened and the man and woman managed to get out of the cabin before the car sank.
People who were near the port jumped into the sea and helped the couple reach the shore, in an intervention that proved decisive in avoiding an even more serious outcome.
Woman in hospital, man left the scene
Emergency crews, firefighters, carabinieri and officers from the Port Authority arrived at the scene. The woman, 40, an Italian citizen, was taken to hospital in a state of shock.
According to reports, she is not in danger for her life. Meanwhile, the 45-year-old Albanian man left the area immediately after receiving first aid, fleeing among the rocks.
Sought by the Italian authorities
Italian authorities are searching for the 45-year-old, while procedures have also begun at the port to remove the vehicle from the water.
According to media reports in Italy, he was previously known to law enforcement. According to the same sources, one day before this incident he had been arrested after another conflict with his wife and was accused of resisting the authorities.
The incident has raised strong questions about the escalation of the conflict and the response after the previous episode reported by police.
The investigation is expected to clarify whether this was an intentional act or another dynamic that led the car into the port waters.