The Triora tragedy struck a family of Arzano origins. Daniele Giacu, 16, who died during the night between Friday and yesterday along Provincial Road 81 between Loreto and Creppo, was Sergio Giacu's nephew. An Arzano native who emigrated to Liguria, Sergio never severed ties with his hometown at the foot of the Gennargentu mountains. He maintained strong ties to Arzana, the community, and his roots. Daniele's father, Michael Giacu, 36, who was seriously injured in the accident, also grew up connected to that origin. As a boy, he spent long vacations in Arzana, at his father's house in the Lina Casa residential complex.

The news

The car left the road, destroyed the guardrail, and plunged over 60 meters down the embankment. The father, the driver, was thrown from the vehicle, while his son was trapped in the wreckage. His life was cut short at just 16 years old. Daniele Giacu, a student from Creppo, in the Alta Valle Argentina, died between the Loreto bridge and Creppo, below the village of Bregalla, in the Triora area. The boy was traveling with his father, Michael, who was airlifted to Santa Corona Hospital in Pietra Ligure, where he underwent critical surgery. He is in critical condition. The tragedy occurred shortly before 2:00 a.m. For reasons still under investigation, the car driven by Michael Giacu, a Mitsubishi Pajero off-road vehicle, left the road. The stone wall on the side of the road failed to hold, and the vehicle ended up in the ravine. The alarm was reportedly triggered around 1:50 a.m. by the sixteen-year-old's smartwatch, equipped with an automatic crash detection system. The device recognized the violent impact, sending a distress call, and locating the crash site. The area is particularly inaccessible and difficult to reach. Firefighters, including personnel from the SAF (Mountain and River Rescue) unit, Alpine Rescue teams, 118 paramedics, and the Carabinieri responded to the scene. According to initial reconstructions, Michael Giacu was ejected from the vehicle during the fall, while his son remained trapped in the wreckage. The father, reached by rescuers and stabilized on the scene, was handed over to the Grifo air ambulance crew and rushed to Santa Corona Hospital. For Daniele, however, all rescue attempts were unsuccessful. The recovery of his body was completed around 8:15 a.m., after hours of work by rescuers. The body was then transferred to the mortuary of the Sanremo hospital.

The victim

Daniele turned 16 last June. He lived in Creppo, a hamlet of Triora, with his father, Michael, his mother, Tatiana, and two younger sisters. He attended the IPSIA (Institute for Advanced Studies) in Imperia and was well-known in the Argentina Valley, as was his family. A model student, in 2024 he received a scholarship named in memory of Jacopo Zorzan, the 17-year-old from Badalucco who died prematurely due to illness. This recognition was granted for his academic achievements. The exact circumstances of the accident remain unclear. The Carabinieri are investigating to determine what caused the car to leave the road. No possible causes have been ruled out at this time, including excessive speed —which remains to be verified—while there is hope that Michael Giacu's condition will improve. Following surgery on Saturday morning, he remains hospitalized in intensive care, with a guarded prognosis.

© Riproduzione riservata