Overview
- A sudden rise in the Roja swept through a group camping under the Via Tenda railway overpass in Ventimiglia on Thursday, leaving eight people rescued and six reported missing.
- Firefighters and search-and-rescue divers are conducting active searches and Polfer confirmed the coastal rail line was temporarily suspended to allow operations to continue safely.
- Authorities say the six unaccounted-for people may have either left the site to avoid controls or been swept and trapped, but their fate is not yet confirmed.
- Ventimiglia is the last Italian town before France and many migrants shelter on the Roja riverbed to avoid border controls, a recurring practice that exposes them to sudden flooding and other hazards.
- The incident has disrupted rail service and prompted ongoing rescue work; officials and rescuers are continuing searches and may update the number of people involved as operations proceed.