Overview
- A sudden rise in the Roja river sent floodwaters through a group of migrants sheltering under a railway overpass in Ventimiglia, sweeping people from the riverbed.
- Firefighters pulled multiple people to safety and rescue divers and police joined searches, but official accounts give conflicting totals and some people remain unaccounted for.
- Railway police confirmed the coastal line was temporarily suspended to allow safe access for search-and-rescue teams and recovery operations.
- Ventimiglia is a regular transit point on the Italy–France border where many migrants sleep beside the Roja under the via Tenda overpass, a practice that exposes them to flash floods.
- Searches are ongoing and the episode could prolong rail disruptions and intensify scrutiny of how authorities and aid groups protect people who shelter in the riverbed.