Tragedy in Venice: Crash into Canal, One Dead and One Woman Missing

A dramatic boating accident occurred at dawn on Sunday in the Tessera channel in Venice, the stretch of lagoon connecting the historic center to Marco Polo Airport. A collision between a water taxi and a small motorboat resulted in the death of 25-year-old Sean Michieli and the disappearance of his wife, Gabriella Querino. The taxi driver, a 38-year-old Venetian, has been placed under investigation for vehicular homicide in its nautical form.

The taxi driver, who was transporting two American tourists headed to the airport, told the Carabinieri that he did not see the small motorboat suddenly appear in front of him, only hearing the impact. After stopping, he reportedly saw only the injured young man on the sinking wreck, but not the woman. Rescue teams, alerted at 5 a.m., recovered Michieli's body, while the search for Gabriella Querino is still ongoing. The Carabinieri and the prosecutor's office, led by prosecutor Daniela Moroni, intervened on the scene.

The tragedy occurred in a lagoon area critical for nighttime navigation. The Tessera canal is a busy waterway, especially in the early morning hours for connections to the airport. The accident raises questions about visibility conditions and safety regulations for nighttime navigation in the Venetian lagoon, where boats of different sizes and speeds coexist.

The investigation focuses on the dynamics of the collision and the conditions of the drivers. Toxicology tests were ordered for both the taxi driver and the victim, Sean Michieli, to check for possible substance use. The taxi driver, who was using a boat and a license registered to a colleague, was on his first ride of the shift after a few hours of sleep. The reconstruction also relies on testimonies from the two American tourists on board and two other passing taxi drivers, one of whom stopped to help. The prosecutor's office must now determine responsibilities in a complex scenario, where reduced visibility and the possible lack of light signals from the boats may have played a decisive role.