Luigino Deiana, 86, a retired shepherd from Esterzili, was found lifeless, the victim of a road accident that most likely occurred during the night between Friday and Saturday along the provincial road 53, between Esterzili and Escalaplano, in the Brama 'e Cuaddusu area in the direction of his sheepfold. The body was found in the early afternoon, after hours of anguish and searches by his family.

The elderly man, driving his Fiat Panda, apparently lost control of the vehicle for reasons yet to be ascertained, ending up in a ravine hidden from view, where a small stream flows . An inaccessible point and far from the gaze of passers-by, which made the discovery even more dramatic.

The alarm was raised by his family, who became suspicious of his failure to return for lunch, a habit that Luigino never broke .

Manuele Corrias, the husband of the man's niece, found the car around 1:50 p.m. He was greeted by a heartbreaking image: the crumpled car and, inside, the old man now lifeless. It was Corrias who immediately alerted the police.

The military, firefighters and medical personnel arrived on the scene. Despite the speed of the rescue, there was nothing more that could be done for Luigino Deiana. The investigation is now in the hands of the Carabinieri, while the traffic police officers are carrying out surveys to clarify the dynamics of the accident.

Luigino was a well-known and well-liked person in Esterzili . After spending 23 years as an emigrant in Switzerland, he returned to his hometown to resume his life as a shepherd, a job he had never really abandoned, not even after retirement. He lived alone, but every day he went to the home of his niece Maria Elvira, who took care of him with care and affection.

The news of his passing came like a bolt of lightning in a sky that was preparing to celebrate Sant'Antonio da Padova, one of the most heartfelt celebrations in the country. The sound of sirens abruptly interrupted the quiet of Saturday, leaving room for pain and dismay.

"I am deeply sorry for what happened, he was a person who will be missed by this community for his way of joking even when matters became serious," said the mayor, Renato Melis, immediately after learning the news.

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