Hero dad feared dead after jumping into Lake Garda to save teenage son
24 July 2022, 07:24 | Updated: 24 July 2022, 08:48
A hero father who leapt into Lake Garda to save his son is feared to have drowned.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
Aran Chada, 51, from Loughborough, is thought to have just started his family holiday and was taking a boating trip at the tourist hotspot with his partner, 14-year-old son and daughter.
The holiday would have reportedly included the sales director's birthday on Tuesday.
The family were enjoying themselves on a boat near Limone, towards the north-eastern end of the lake, when Mr Chada’s son got into difficult in the water, The Times said, and he jumped in to save him.
Antonello Ragadale, a coastguard commander, said he managed to get his son back to the boat and his partner Holly Mosley, 39, hauled him onto the craft, but Mr Chada "slipped beneath the surface, perhaps suffering a seizure".
"This man was a hero and we fear he drowned, but we're doing everything we can to find his body," he added.
Read more: Baby dies in hot car after dad 'forgets to drop child at nursery and goes to work'
He went on: "He did what any father would have done for his son." He warned that a people sometimes jump into the lake to cool off in the heat, but get into difficulty because of how cold the water is.
A rescue effort including a robot submarine and helicopters was unable to find Mr Chada. Strong winds have hampered efforts to locate him, but the coastguard vowed to keep looking after the storm cleared.
The family, who appear to have frequently made trips to the lakes in Italy, was taken to their hotel in Riva del Garda and is being supported by experts.
"This is a real tragedy, and the desperation in their faces was evident," Mr Ragadale said.
Mr Chada worked as group sales director at Global Energy Ventures, an oil and gas services firm with operations in West Africa, according to his LinkedIn profile.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: "We are supporting the family of a British man who has been reported missing in Italy and are in contact with the Italian police."
