Two prominent Italian entrepreneurs are feared dead after their private helicopter crashed on the border between the Marche and Tuscany regions on Monday morning. According to an official technical alert, the aircraft, en route from Venice to Arezzo, had issued a warning of engine failure prior to the accident.
The victims are identified as Mario Paglicci, 77, a well-known goldsmith based in Arezzo, and Fulvio Casini, 67, from Sinalunga near Siena.
According to the preliminary report, the helicopter sent an alert to air-traffic control or ground services signalling an engine failure while flying on Sunday afternoon. The wreckage was discovered in a heavily wooded area near Lake Montedoglio in the province of Arezzo on Monday morning.
Rescue services remain on scene, although given the condition of the wreckage and the terrain, officials say survival is extremely unlikely. Investigators from both Tuscany and Marche have been mobilised to determine the cause of the engine malfunction and the precise chain of events that led to the crash.
The journey from Venice to Arezzo is normally routine for private aircraft. The fact that the alert was raised indicates that the occupants were aware of a serious mechanical problem. The region around Lake Montedoglio is hilly and dense with forest cover, which may have complicated both the emergency response and rescue efforts.
Friends and colleagues of both men have expressed deep shock at the incident. Mr Paglicci, a veteran goldsmith, was widely respected in Arezzo’s artisan community for his mastery of metal-work and his longstanding family business. Mr Casini was known in Siena and surrounding areas for his entrepreneurial ventures and civic contributions.
