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Published Sep. 16, 2023, 6:21 p.m. ET
Italian Winemaker Drowns in Vat of Wine While Trying to Save Colleague
An Italian winemaker tragically drowned in a vat of wine after being overcome by nitrogen gases and falling into the fermenting brew while attempting to rescue a colleague. Marco Bettolini, 46, lost his balance and fell into the vat at the Ca’ di Rajo winery in northeastern Italy on Thursday, according to reports by The Telegraph.
Alberto Pin, 31, had entered the autoclave of the vat earlier that day after noticing a malfunction with the taps and fell ill from the fumes. Bettolini followed him in to help but was also affected by the intoxicating fumes. Local paper Tribuna di Treviso reported that Bettolini fell a few feet and hit his head at the bottom of the vat, where there was still some wine present.
Pin was immediately transported to a hospital in Teviso in serious condition and remains in a medically-induced coma after having his heart restarted, as reported by Wine News. The entire incident was captured on surveillance footage, although it has not yet been released.
The winery’s owner, Simone Cecchetto, expressed grief and condolences, stating, “We are overwhelmed by grief. For us, these people are two brothers, two sons. My thoughts go to these two men, who grew up with us, and to their families… We pray for the injured young man, for his prompt recovery.”
Bettolini had been working for the company since 2018 as a winemaker and cellar manager. Colleagues described him as a generous and reserved person, according to La Repubblica.
The incident has raised concerns about the safety of winemaking production in Italy. Chief Prosecutor Marco Martani stated that preliminary information suggested that no one should have entered the autoclave and that an outside company should have been called in for the malfunction, with special masks and systems used.
Ca’ di Rajo’s employees gathered together to pay their respects to the victims, leaving a bouquet of flowers in the cellar. Andrea Zanella, a coworker, expressed their profound pain and solidarity, saying, “Alberto and Marco are two brothers for me and for all of us, this is a family for us… We have become close in pain and we are close to the families of Marco and Alberto. We ask for respect for our immense pain. We only hope that Alberto can return to us soon. Marco is a hero for us.”
The incident is currently under investigation, and no charges have been made. Veneto President Luca Zaia offered his condolences to the families affected and expressed concern for the hospitalized colleague, stating, “Why today? Why so much pain to those who certainly didn’t deserve it? I express my deepest condolences to the families overwhelmed by this tragedy and to all those who loved and knew the victim and who are now anxious for their hospitalized colleague.”
As the investigation continues, the winemaking industry in Italy will undoubtedly be assessing safety measures to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.