A 30-year-old man plummeted 50ft to his death down a well trying to save his beloved pet pooch.
Salvatore Leonardi was walking his dog in the countryside when the horror unfolded.
The irrigation well was full of water when the dog, reportedly a Pit Bull, slipped and fell into it.
Horrified Salvatore immediately tried to rescue his pet.
But he then fell into the well himself on Sunday (11 Feb) afternoon.
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His shocked pal who was with him on the walk immediately called the emergency services.
Firefighters, emergency medics, police, and divers arrived on the scene near Niscemi, Sicily, Italy.
By the time they’d painstakingly pulled Salvatore from the shaft, it was nighttime and he was dead.
He’s survived by his parents and two siblings.
The tragedy prompted Niscemi mayor Massimiliano Conti to cancel Monday’s local carnival celebrations.
He said: “I invite everyone to share in the family’s grief.”
It’s not clear if an investigation has been opened.
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