Coast Guard Arrives at Garda Lake for Seasonal Surveillance Start

The vessel will arrive in Peschiera tomorrow, but it will become operational starting Friday, June 15. The Coast Guard motorboat will depart from the Vittoria yards in Adria, in the province of Rovigo, on a truck escorted by the State Police. It will follow a carefully planned route to avoid getting stuck under low bridges.

In Peschiera, it will be launched into the water by Navigarda cranes. Afterwards, it will head towards Gargnano, where it will remain until September 30, with the possibility of extension until October 15. The final details were settled Thursday in Rome by the Secretary General of the Community of Garda, Lucio Ceresa, who met with admirals and officers.

Crew and Activities

The twelve crew members, led by Marino Diomede and Nicolò Zito, will work around the clock, divided into groups of three, with six-hour shifts. Last summer, there were about a hundred emergency calls, many caused by tourists’ carelessness.

This is the third year that the Coast Guard has arrived on the lake, alongside Carabinieri, Police, and Volunteers. The motorboat is no longer the same as in 2000. It is now a model 859 instead of 832. It costs around one billion lire.

Technical Specifications

It measures 12.73 meters in length, 4.3 meters in width, weighs 12 tons, and is self-righting. It is equipped with two Isotta Fraschini engines of 400 KW, reaching a speed of 30 knots (one knot equals 1852 meters), with an autonomy of 160 miles. It features state-of-the-art instrumentation and life rafts.

Legislative Outlook and Goals

“This is still considered an experimental service,” explains Ceresa. “In fact, there is no legislative measure authorizing the presence of the Navy in inland waters. A bill is currently in Parliament that envisages the permanent presence of the Coast Guard on Garda, Maggiore, and Como lakes. The electoral campaigns have stalled the process. But we are hopeful for a prompt approval.”