A father and his adult son were killed after their car was swallowed by a sinkhole and they were surrounded by floodwaters in northern Italy.
Leone Nardon, 64, and Francesco Nardon, 21, were traveling by car in Valdagno in the region of Veneto on Thursday, April 17, when the road they were driving on collapsed at about 8 p.m. local time, per local news outlet Corriere della Sera.
The incident occurred amid a wave of heavy rain and inclement weather that hit the region that day. While it has not been confirmed why Leone and Francesco were driving during the dangerous conditions, initial reports indicate that they may have been out volunteering to help others during the severe weather, per the outlet.
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The Corriere noted that the victims’ family first suspected something was wrong when they had not returned home by 2 a.m. on Friday, April 18, at which point they alerted police.
Police found Leone’s body later that morning about six miles from the site of the initial collapse, indicating he was swept away by rushing floodwaters. Francesco was found closer to the car amid local vegetation, indicating he may have attempted to escape the vehicle after it had sunk into the hole but before rushing water had completely overtaken the road.
PEOPLE reached out to local police with a request for comment on Saturday, April 19, but did not receive an immediate response.
During a press conference, Luca Zaia, the president of Veneto, called the event a “tragedy,” per Nova.news.
“I offer my condolences to the families of the two victims,” he continued. He then appealed to local citizens to “stay away from embankments and bridges,” noting, “Even the safest bridge may not be safe in these circumstances.”
PEOPLE reached out to Zaia’s office on on Saturday for comment, but did not receive an immediate response.
Metro.com reported that Francesco played the trumpet in Band Cornedo Vicentino, noting that the band has since released a tribute to him.
“Francesco had been with us a little over three years, but since the beginning, he had been an example of dedication and generosity,” the band stated, per the outlet. “Despite him attending university in Modena, he [never missed] practice, our services and concerts … showing his huge commitment and love for music.”
The Corriere reported that Leone was the owner of an industrial automation and robotics company in Valdagno, and Francesco was studying engineering at the University of Modena.
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