A holidaymaker narrowly escaped tragedy on the Pontine coast near Gaeta last Monday morning. The 50-year-old Roman woman became trapped in a sudden depression on the seabed approximately 40 meters from shore while bathing, despite yellow and red warning flags indicating strong winds and rough seas respectively.
Struggling against a powerful current that prevented her escape, the tourist began to drown. A lifeguard at one of the “300 Steps” beach establishments reacted instantly, diving into the water and successfully rescuing her shortly before 1 PM.
This incident follows the tragic death of a 17-year-old boy just days earlier on Montalto di Castro Marina beach along the Viterbo coast. The teenager suffocated after sand collapsed on him while he was digging a tunnel in the dunes.