A 64-year-old mother was fatally struck by a boat propeller in front of her husband as they swam in a lake.
An off-duty police officer was reportedly driving the motorboat when he attempted to dock, and bystanders realised the danger and shouted at him.
But the 43-year-old, whose son was also on board, was unable to stop in time and hit Frisca Lisa Laygo at full force, it is claimed.
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Her husband, Giancarlo Lanza, watched in horror as the propeller struck his wife between her neck and head, leaving a deep gash.
Witnesses said she sank beneath the small vessel and resurfaced on the other side, face down.
She was brought to shore and given CPR, but died from her injuries on the banks of Lake Iseo, in Italy’s Lombardy region, before paramedics arrived.
The Bergamo Public Prosecutor’s Office is now investigating the officer from Gardone Val Trompia for involuntary manslaughter.
The boat, which he had borrowed from a friend, has been seized, and he has been tested for alcohol and drugs.
During questioning, he told police he had not seen Frisca in the water on Tuesday (12 Aug) afternoon.
CCTV footage from the dock where the accident happened is also being reviewed, as reported by Need To Know.
Frisca was originally from the Philippines and had lived in Predore for several years.
She moved to Italy in 1996 after graduating in Fine Arts in Manila and had returned just days before the fatal accident, her first visit to relatives in seven years.
The couple, who met after sitting next to each other at an airport, often went swimming in Lake Iseo.
Their son, Domenico Santiago, 27, told local media: “She was such a bright, energetic, and creative woman.
“She helped out at the parish and even made a papier-mâché statue for the former priest.
“She also loved gardening — I hope I got that from her. But no one should ever be run over like that.”
Giancarlo added: “She was my everything, my strength. I don’t know how we’ll manage without her.”
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