The civil helicopter that disappeared in the Alpe della Luna area has been identifiedon the border between Tuscany and Marche with goldsmiths from Arezzo in it Mario Paglici77 years old, and his friend Fulvio Casini67 years old, businessman from Sinalunga (Siena), both expert pilots.
The search which started yesterday after reports of failure and loss of contact resumed this morning, Monday 10 November.
“There are two Tuscan citizens missing in a civil helicopter and there has been no news since yesterday afternoon”, the president of the Tuscan Region, Eugenio Giani, confirmed on social media. “The search – Giani confirmed – continued throughout the night in the Alpe della Luna area in an inaccessible area. The regional emergency system is on the ground, together with the Fire Brigade, Alpine Rescue, Law Enforcement and Civil Protection. I thank all the teams who have been working in the area for many hours”.
What has happened
The plane belonging to the two men took off from Venice’s Lido after stopping for lunch at Nicelli airport, heading to the Serristori airfield in Castiglion Fiorentino, in Valdichiana, in the province of Arezzo. However, at around 5 pm on Sunday 9 November, the plane disappeared from radar while flying over the Badia Tedalda area, between the provinces of Arezzo, Pesaro Urbino and the Apennine belt marking the border with Emilia-Romagna.
Concerns emerged in the afternoon, when the international satellite system Cospas-Sarsat recorded a call for help. Since then the emergency apparatus was activated which mobilized firefighters, Alpine Rescue, Red Cross, Carabinieri, 118 and the Air Force.
Study
Bad weather conditions – with thick fog and wind – they complicate operations throughout the nightforcing Drago’s helicopter from the core of Arezzo to postpone its flight several times. On the ground, about thirty operators scoured the Borgo Pace and Parchiule forest areas inch by inch, also using thermal drones in an effort to identify heat signatures or plane fragments.
Initial information is that the Agusta Westland 109 may have experienced engine failureprobably reported by the pilot himself moments before the disappearance. However, there is currently no official confirmation and all hypotheses remain open.
Who are the two men inside
These are very concerning times for the families of both men. mario Paglicci, a historical figure of the goldsmith craft of Arezzois a flying enthusiast and for many years che shared Cassini’s interest in helicopters. This morning rescue teams returned to work in various fields, continuing to scan the dense vegetation in the Apennines.
