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World4 dead as tourist boat capsizes in Lake Maggiore, Italy

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4 dead as tourist boat capsizes in Lake Maggiore, Italy

After a tourist boat sank on Sunday night in northern Italy‘s Lake Maggiore, four people’s bodies have been found there, according to the country’s fire department.

The last body was found around 8 a.m. local time (2 a.m. ET), and as of today, search and rescue efforts have been completed, according to a tweet from the fire department Vigili del Fuoco.

Two Italian citizens, one Israeli citizen, and one Russian citizen were among the victims, according to a report from CNN affiliate Sky Tg24, which cited the district attorney. It was two males and two women that died.

The 16-meter (52-foot) houseboat had been carrying 24 people when it encountered difficulty during a “violent storm” and capsized shortly after 7:30 p.m. local time (1:30 p.m. ET) on Sunday, Sky Tg24 reported.

There were 22 tourists on board, including British passengers, and two crew members, according to Sky Tg24.

Twenty people were rescued after the boat capsized, the fire and rescue service said.

Some of the 20 survivors reportedly managed to swim to the shore, according to Sky Tg24, adding that, although five were taken to the hospital, no survivors had sustained any serious injuries.

Divers and a helicopter were used as part of the search and rescue operation, according to the fire and rescue service.

Among those killed was the skipper of the boat’s girlfriend, while one of the bodies was found within the wreckage of the boat, roughly 15 meters (49 feet) below water, Sky Tg24 added.

An operation is now underway to recover the sunken boat.

A UK Foreign Commonwealth Development Office spokesperson told CNN, “we are in contact with local authorities in Italy after a boat accident and are ready to provide consular assistance to any British nationals involved.”

Lake Maggiore is a popular destination for tourists and is shared by Italy and Switzerland.

Passengers had been celebrating a birthday party when the boat, traveling between the Italian towns of Lisanza and Dormelletto, capsized, according to Sky Tg24.

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