A vessel that sank on Lake Maggiore with four fatalities, May 2023 (Italian fire and rescue services)
A recently retired Mossad spy was killed along with two Italian intelligence and a Russian woman in a mysterious accident on Italy’s Lake Maggiore in which a boat carrying dozens of intelligence officers capsized.
The incident took place on May 28 evening. Officials in the Lombardy region claimed that a “whirlwind” made the 52-foot boat overturn and sink, while Italian investigators said a sudden change in weather appeared to be the cause of the accident, ruling out any foul play.
Another factor may have been the fact that the boat, named the Gooduria, was said to be carrying eight more people than its 15-person limit at the time of the incident.
The survivors either swam to shore or were rescued by other boats. Ten serving Israeli intelligence agents were evacuated from hospitals and put on a military plane back to Tel Aviv. They reportedly left in such a hurry that they left behind their rental car on the lakeside.
The Israeli man who died in the accident was identified as Shimoni Erez, 50. He was described as a Mossad agent by the news website Arutz Sheva, also known as Israel National News. According to Israel’s Channel 12 news, the man had only recently stopped working for the service.
Italian security services said the other victims, 62-year-old Claudio Alonzi, and 53-year-old Tiziana Barnobi, were their intelligence agents.
“The two employees, belonging to the intelligence department, were taking part in a convivial meeting organized to celebrate the birthday of one of the group,” said the Italian security services in a statement.
The fourth casualty, 50-year-old Russian citizen Anna Bozhkova, is understood to be the partner of the captain of the tourist boat that sunk.
Italian and Israeli media reports suggested that the agents on the boat were up to something more than a celebration. According to the reports, 19 out of the 23 people on board were serving or past Israeli and Italian agents.
“It was an opportunity to exchange information between agents of the two countries,” Italy’s La Stampa reported.
The Mossad is known to be highly active in Europe, where it cooperates with local intelligence services to track sensitive exports to countries that are considered to be enemies to Israel, like Iran and Syria, as well as to recruit senior officials and scientists from these countries. The agency was accused of carrying out sabotage, abductions and assassinations in the continent in the past.
In 1986, Israeli agents abducted former nuclear technician, whistleblower and peace activist Mordechai Vanunu from the Italian coastal city of La Spezia.
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