Sardinia wildfire forces dozens to flee beach by boat

Dozens of holidaymakers on the Italian island of Sardinia were forced to flee a beach by boat on Sunday when a huge wildfire broke out nearby, blocking other escape routes, local firefighters said, according to UNN, citing Reuters.

Details

Black smoke rose from the beach in Villasimius, in the south of the island.

According to ANSA, it refers to Punta Molentis, in Villasimius, where the situation was most serious, and the flames reached the beach, almost completely blocking the escape routes for bathers.

According to Corriere della Sera, Punta Molentis in Villasimius is one of the most popular areas of the island, and the huge fire was probably caused by arson.

The fire, fueled by wind and dense Mediterranean scrub, quickly reached enormous proportions. No one was injured, but the flames blocked escape routes for swimmers, and hundreds of people were trapped, forced to seek refuge in the water. The intervention of the Cagliari Coast Guard saved them: 102 people, including 12 children and a woman in her sixth month of pregnancy, were evacuated by sea in lifeboats and taken to the port, where they were assisted by emergency services. The flames also spread to the beach parking lot. While people on the shore were gathering towels and umbrellas and trying to escape, some tried to retrieve their cars, but most of them were destroyed by the fire.

A Coast Guard patrol boat rescued 102 people in Punta Molentis in Villasimius. A Guardia di Finanza patrol boat (39 rescued) was also on site, as well as civilians who provided assistance for the rescue. The Cagliari Port Authority was also mobilized to conduct a rescue operation from the sea.

Strong winds hampered rescue efforts, the firefighters said in a statement, adding that several cars were burned.

Addition

Italy is suffering from summer heat, with wildfires particularly affecting the arid southern regions.