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Two 19-Year-Old German Tourists Found Dead at Popular Alpine Lakes

Investigations are under way in Italy and Switzerland as prosecutors and police seek to reconstruct how steep embankments and risky actions led to the deaths.

Overview

  • In Argegno near Lake Como a 19-year-old man from Tübingen fell about 20 meters into the Telo while climbing over a railing to retrieve a football and was found dead; Italian reports say the incident occurred on July 5.
  • Rescuers including mountain rescue teams, firefighters, ambulances and a helicopter recovered the body and the Como public prosecutor ordered transfer of the corpse to Sant'Anna hospital pathology for further examination.
  • Separately, Swiss cantonal police recovered the body of another 19-year-old German at the Alpsee after he was reported missing, and forensic teams from St. Gallen are involved as investigators probe the cause of death.
  • Italian media and local officials have pointed to climbing over protections and possibly unsuitable footwear as reported factors, and authorities note the Telo embankment has seen similar fatal falls in September 2024 and August 2025.
  • The twin deaths highlight recurring safety hazards at crowded tourist lakes and could prompt local reviews of railings, signage and emergency response procedures as prosecutors complete their reconstructions.