His name was Abdoulay Fane, the 22-year-old Ivorian who died yesterday in the waters off Ringo beach. He had jumped into the sea with two friends for a swim but maybe due to the strong currents he didn’t make it back to shore. After more than seven hours of searches by the Carabinieri, the Coast Guard and the Fire Brigade, his body was found late in the evening.
The young Ivorian had been in Messina in a reception center for less than a month. Yesterday they had decided to go to the beach to spend a carefree afternoon. Around 3 pm, as some swimmers have said, the three dived together but immediately found themselves in difficulty. Someone asked for help, attracting the attention of some people who were on the beach and who immediately jumped into the water to rescue them.
The 22-year-old was searched for hours by divers, a patrol boat and a dinghy of the Coast Guard also took part in the searches, including a helicopter from Catania which flew over the area all afternoon. The firefighters sifted the stretch of sea in front of Viale della Libertà with a bathyscope, an instrument that allows you to observe the seabed, the checks also concerned the cradles of the Caronte & Tourist ships. The searches also extended beyond the Paradise area, continuing even after dark. Then came the tragic news of the discovery of the lifeless body.
The young Ivorian had been in the city, a guest of a reception center, for less than a month. Following the searches with bated breath and eyes always focused on the sea, there were also some operators of the center who in recent weeks have become a family, a point of reference for the boy and for many other young foreigners. Numerous people also attended the searches, both bathers who stayed up late, and onlookers who gathered along the sidewalk.
(Photo Enrico Di Giacomo)