Tragedy of Senago, the shock story of the survivors: "We shouted at Gabriele to brake, then the flight"

On the early morning of April 1st, a tragic accident occurred on Via per Cesate in Senago, near Milan, when a vehicle carrying nine teenagers lost control and plunged into a canal, resulting in three fatalities and six injuries. The incident took place around 5:10 AM, according to initial reports, in a stretch of road described as dark and with uneven asphalt. The car, an Audi A2, was driven by Gabriele Popovici, an 18-year-old who has since been arrested and charged with aggravated multiple homicide due to traffic offenses. Preliminary tests confirmed that Popovici had a blood alcohol level of 1.60 grams per liter, exceeding the legal limit significantly.

The vehicle crashed after leaving the road and colliding with a metal railing before plunging into the water-filled canal. Three young victims—Camilla Copparoni, Lorenzo Benin, and Riccardo Provasi—all aged 17—did not survive the incident. The remaining six survivors were rescued from the submerged car and taken to the Niguarda Hospital in Milan with varying degrees of trauma and bruising. Some of them managed to escape by jumping out of the vehicle, which had partially sunk into the water, while others required assistance from firefighters and bystanders once they reached the surface.

Eyewitness accounts and statements from the surviving youths paint a harrowing picture of the moments leading up to the crash. They recounted how they repeatedly urged Popovici to slow down during their journey home after a night out at a nightclub. According to one survivor, initially, Popovici drove at a reasonable speed given the number of passengers. However, things changed dramatically when the car approached a narrow bend in the road. At that point, the driver increased his speed, causing the vehicle to lose stability. One of the survivors, seated in the front passenger seat, described feeling a sudden sense of weightlessness as the car flipped over and ended up submerged in the canal.

Another survivor mentioned being in the back seat holding a friend's phone with a navigation app, adding to the confusion and fear experienced during the incident. Several of the survivors described trying to stay calm and hold their breath underwater while attempting to swim toward the shore. Others said they closed their eyes in panic, hoping for the best. One girl, who was sitting on the central rear seat above another friend’s legs, instinctively swam towards the bank, gripping branches along the way to pull herself up.

Following the impact, Popovici attempted to rescue one of the passengers, Camilla Copparoni, who was found unconscious. He returned to the car by swimming and tried to revive her. Meanwhile, two other victims remained trapped inside the submerged vehicle, requiring the intervention of the fire department's dive unit to recover their bodies. The survivors, after escaping the water, sought help from nearby pedestrians, who promptly assisted them.

Local authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, focusing on the conditions of the road and whether there were any contributing factors beyond the driver's intoxication. The mayor of Senago, Magda Beretta, acknowledged the dangerous nature of the area, noting the presence of a dirt path and a bike lane marked by wooden barriers, which are not accessible to vehicles. She expressed deep sorrow over the loss of life and thanked emergency responders for their efforts.

This tragedy echoes previous incidents in the same location. In 2015, a similar accident resulted in the deaths of two teenagers. Residents have long warned about the risks associated with this stretch of road, particularly its darkness and the potential for high-speed driving. The Italian Minister of Infrastructure, Matteo Salvini, condemned the incident, emphasizing the need for improved road safety measures. He announced plans to convene a meeting with the Interior Minister to address the issue of youth fatalities on the roads.

As the investigation continues, the focus remains on understanding why the driver chose to increase his speed in such a hazardous area and whether additional precautions could have prevented the tragedy. The case has sparked renewed discussions about road safety policies and the enforcement of existing laws aimed at reducing drunk driving among young people.