Couple killed in boat accident in Venice months after wedding

sean michieli instagram Sean Michieli Gabriela Quirino

A couple on holiday in Venice have died in a boating accident, months after saying ‘I do’.

He was from Burano in the northern part of the lagoon, while his wife Querino, 26, was from Brazil, according to local outlets.

They had been struck by a water taxi while in a small boat at around 5am to 6am in the Tessera Canal, with the husband taken to hospital in critical condition.

Querino was reported missing, and a search quickly began using firefighter divers, jet skis, a maritime unit, and a helicopter to find her.

On Sunday evening, Michieli succumbed to his injuries, which included a head injury and abdominal trauma, after undergoing surgery.

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Sean and Gabriella Sean_Michieli Instagram/Sean_MichieliThe couple had been married for barely three months when they were struck by a water taxi. Sean and Gabriella died in the accident. Instagram/Sean_Michieli

Querino’s body was later found on Tuesday morning near the island of Campalto, nearly two kilometres from the crash site.

People reported that Querino, who moved to Italy two years before, had been pregnant at the time with the couple’s first child.

Simone Venturini, the mayor of Venice, described the incident as ‘a tragic event that gripped our entire city and ended in a very painful way.’

An investigation has been opened into manslaughter, with a 38-year-old water taxi driver questioned by police.

The man’s lawyer said he had been ‘devastated for days’ and routine toxicology tests have been carried out, but the results have not yet been revealed.

According to the suspect, he had been transporting two clients to Marco Polo Airport, with all his boat’s lights on due to the early morning darkness.

Story from Jam Press (Newlyweds Boat Tragedy) Pictured: Emergency services searching for Gabriella Querino. Newlywed dead and wife missing after boat collides with five-tonne water taxi A newlywed husband is dead and his wife is missing after their boat collided with a five-tonne water taxi. Sean Michieli and Gabriella Querino got married on 8 June. On Saturday morning (12 September), they left Burano, Italy, together on board a small boat to search for bait needed for Sean?s work. Shortly afterwards, the couple?s boat collided with a water taxi weighing around five tonnes and sank. Sean, 25, was rushed to Venice-Mestre Hospital with severe craniofacial trauma and other injuries across his body. He underwent surgery before being admitted to the ICU. However, he was declared brain dead yesterday (13 September), following hours of tests and observation. That same day, Gabriella?s handbag was recovered from the waters of the Venetian Lagoon. Police, firefighters and divers are still searching for the 26-year-old, although they are being hampered by strong currents and poor visibility. Sean, originally from Cavallino-Treporti, worked as a clam fisherman, as reported by NeedToKnow. He had passed his passion for the job on to Gabriella, who is originally from Ribeir?o Preto, Brazil, and moved to Italy around two years ago. She had been sorting out the necessary paperwork and was in the process of obtaining the licence she needed to work in fishing. Her mother, Gisele Elorriaga, told Brazilian media: ?She was building a life for herself over there, and she was happy.? The prosecutor?s office has opened an investigation into the incident. The cause of the collision is not yet known, although darkness, fog and the water taxi?s high speed are among the possibilities being considered. The only witness is the water taxi driver. Gisele said: ?I just want my daughter back alive, nothing else.? ENDS EDITOR?S NOTES Quotations have been translated to English. Fair Dealing / Fair Use: In limited cases, Jam Press may distribute material under fair dealing/fair use principles for legitimate editorial reporting purposes. Jam Press accepts responsibility for licensed editorial publisher usage only. Any additional client usage, including use across owned social media channels, commercial marketing or non-editorial purposes, remains the responsibility of the client.

He claimed that Michieli and Querino’s boat was travelling at high speed without lights when they allegedly collided.

Democratic Party regional councillor Monica Sambo said that officials were waiting for the results of the investigation to ‘fully clarify the circumstances of the accident’.

Sambo added: ‘[This highlights] the need for serious regulation and monitoring of water traffic [in Venice], as well as proper canal lighting to ensure the safety of everyone navigating the lagoon.’

It’s thought that the couple had been out on the boat together in search of bait as Michieli worked as a fisherman.

Luca Zaia, president of the Regional Council of Veneto, called it ‘an immense tragedy for a family that was just beginning to build their future’.

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Original source Couple killed in boat accident in Venice months after wedding

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