Italian Authorities Intensify Search for Minister's Husband Missing in Lake Near Rome

Italian rescue teams continue an extensive search for Luigi Cavallari, the 84-year-old husband of Italy's Family Minister Eugenia Roccella, who disappeared after entering Lake Vico in the Lazio region on Saturday. Cavallari reportedly entered the water to cool off amid a severe heatwave but soon after surfaced feeling unwell. The boat carrying the couple was not anchored and drifted away, preventing others from reaching him in time.

The search has been ongoing for over three days, employing divers, remotely operated underwater vehicles, sonar systems, drones, and underwater robots. Rescue teams also recreated the boat's movements during the incident to aid the search. Conditions are challenging due to near-zero visibility at depths of four meters.

Luigi Cavallari is a university professor specializing in architecture and construction engineering, with a long academic career including leadership roles. He and Minister Roccella have been married since 1976 and recently celebrated their 50th anniversary. The extensive search efforts have sparked harsh criticism on social media regarding resource use, which Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni strongly condemned as "detestable and inhumane." Defense Minister Guido Crosetto also denounced the attacks as disrespectful to human suffering.

The search continues amid Italy's ongoing heatwave, with authorities committed to locating Cavallari despite the difficulties and public backlash.