Two Italian secret service agents among the four killed when boat capsized on Lake Maggiore 

Two Italian secret service agents were among the four who died when a boat capsized during a whirlwind on Lake Maggiore.

Claudio Alonzi, 62, and Tiziana Barnobi, 53, passed away last night after being plunged into the icy waters of the lake when a sudden whirlwind overturned the 52ft boat in the Northern Lombardy region. 

Italian firefighters said 19 people, who had been celebrating a birthday on the boat, managed to swim to the shore. 

Another victim included a 50-year-old Israeli man, who was found dead in the waters by rescuers, local television Tgcom24 reported. 

The skipper’s wife, who was Russian, also died during the accident, according to La Repubblica.

Carabinieri and fire brigade officers take part in the search and rescue operation in Lake Maggiore 

Emergency services scoured the 41-mile lake for debris from the vessel

‘The bodies of four people have been recovered,’ fire brigade spokesman Luca Cari said.

A search and rescue mission was launched with divers, boats and a helicopter after the vessel capsized in the 41-mile lake, which straddles the border with Switzerland. 

The Foreign Office is in contact with local officials in Italy to offer assistance to the British nationals involved.  

The whirlwind that hit the boat was part of a storm that hit Lombardy yesterday, also causing delays at Malpensa airport near Milan.

The boat had been carrying both Italian and foreign tourists including Britons and Germans, and it sank quickly, taking one of the victims with it, according to reports. 

Bad weather was cited as the reason for the accident which claimed the four lives

Lake Maggiore is based in the Northern Lombardy region of Italy and is the country’s second-largest lake

Scuba divers were seen searching for bodies in the water yesterday

A firefighters’ video showed a search and rescue helicopter flying over choppy waters, where chairs and other debris were floating. 

According to reports from the Italian newspaper La Repubblica, two were taken to hospital in ‘moderately critical’ condition, while three were taken in ‘not very critical condition’.

A further 15 were treated at the scene and did not require further medical attention, reports have said.  

A Foreign Office spokesperson said: ‘We are in contact with local authorities in Italy after a boat accident and are ready to provide consular assistance to any British nationals involved.’ 

Lake Maggiore, which lies on the south side of the Alps, is the second largest lake in Italy and is a popular tourist destination.