TRIESTE – Two abandoned vessels and more than 157 tonnes of special waste have been seized by the Guardia di Finanza in the Venice lagoon, as part of an environmental control operation coordinated by the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
The operation was carried out by officers from the Chioggia Naval Operations Section in a state-owned area under concession to a private company, located near the Valle Averto Oasis, a nature area managed by WWF covering around 200 hectares.
Thanks to aerial reconnaissance carried out with a helicopter from the Venice Aeronaval Unit, four iron vessels were identified, including three vaporetti and one river motor vessel. Subsequent checks revealed the serious state of degradation of two units. Particularly critical was the condition of a 35-metre motor vessel, built in 1962 and originally intended for dredging work and materials transport. The vessel, partly sunk due to corrosion of the hull, was unused and in a state of abandonment. Two engines were still on board, leaking hydrocarbons into the lagoon waters, with potential risks for the environment.
A second vessel, a privately owned vaporetto, was found in such a condition that it was being used as an uncontrolled storage site for special waste, effectively amounting to an illegal dump.
According to preliminary investigations, the vessels had allegedly been intentionally abandoned to avoid the costs linked to proper disposal. The investigation led to the identification of two people, who were reported to the judicial authority.
