Susanna Riva Tragedy has struck in the waters of the Venice Lagoon, where a young fisherman from Burano lost his life in a boating accident . Sean Michieli, 25, died after undergoing two surgeries for a severe head injury. His wife, Gabriela Querino, of Brazilian origin, remains missing.
The accident occurred at 5:30 a.m. in the Tessera Canal, where the small boat carrying the two men collided with a water taxi. The search for the woman, who was aboard the vessel with her husband, is ongoing.
The accident and the first investigations
According to the reconstruction, Sean Michieli's dinghy collided with a water taxi near the island of Tessera.
The young man was transported in serious condition to Sant'Angelo Hospital in Mestre, where he was pronounced dead after a day of agony. The medical commission completed the brain death assessment process after 9:00 PM last night.
The search for his wife, Gabriela Querino, was suspended at sunset yesterday, but will resume today with the help of divers, helicopters, and jet skis.
The muddy waters of the lagoon and the tides make operations particularly complex.
The taxi driver's version
The water taxi driver stated that he didn't see the other boat in the darkness and didn't know how many people were on board. There are no cameras or other witnesses in the area of the collision, making it difficult to determine blame and responsibility. The Venice Prosecutor's Office has opened a case of nautical homicide.
A family tragedy
For the Michieli family, this tragedy represents a painful repetition of the past. Nineteen years ago, Sean's uncle, Endrius, lost his life in a naval collision near Fondamenta Nove. The family, a well-known fishing community, had already suffered a similar loss.
Sean and Gabriela married just three months ago at Ca' Farsetti in Venice, sharing their joy on social media at the start of their life together. Gabriela, instilled in her husband's passion for fishing, was almost inseparable from him on the boat.
The search for the 26-year-old Brazilian woman continues, as the Michieli family faces another loss in the same waters where they have earned their living for generations.