On 14th April, Lake Como hosted an exercise aimed at testing response capabilities and standardising operational procedures between state and local government bodies
Testing the capabilities for joint operations and the standardisation of operational procedures between the state and local government bodies that, in various capacities, carry out policing and rescue functions in the Lake Como area: this was the objective of the joint naval exercise known as ‘Lake Como 2026’, which took place on 14th April in the waters off the town of Laglio. The initiative was coordinated by the Air and Naval Operations Department of the Guardia di Finanza (Financial Police) in Como and the Lakes Operations Department of the Milan Coastguard, in the presence of the Prefects of Como and Lecco.
To ensure the success of the operations, in addition to the naval units of the Law Enforcement and Rescue services, two vessels from Gestione Governativa Navigazione Laghi were also used. Specifically, the exercise was structured around two distinct scenarios. The first, entitled ‘Security’, simulated a police operation to apprehend a person who, in a moment of madness, attempted to attack tourists with a knife on board a scheduled ferry. The joint operation by the Guardia di Finanza, which used a boarding team for the exercise, the State Police, the Carabinieri and the Provincial Police resulted in the attacker being apprehended and taken ashore, while the area was secured. The second scenario, entitled ‘Safety’, involved the simulation of a rescue operation, with the recovery of people from the water and the evacuation from a scheduled passenger ferry of injured people by the Coastguard, the Fire Service, the Red Cross and the AREU (Regional Emergency and Urgency Agency). The fire that had developed on board the ferry was then put out by the Fire Service.
“The exercise allowed us to put into practice the procedures to adopt in real-life situations and to draw up a joint document,” explained Lieutenant Colonel Paolo Zottola, Commander of the Air and Naval Operations Unit of the Guardia di Finanza in Como. “As the Guardia di Finanza, our aim was also to establish an operational chain by simulating an emergency situation on board a Navigazione Laghi vessel providing the scheduled passenger ferry service. We wanted to develop this procedure, which starts with a call from the ship’s captain and then sees the police forces mobilised to intervene, detain any hostile individuals threatening passengers and transfer them to the mainland.” Following the exercise on Lake Como, a further exercise is scheduled for 15th July, which will take place on Lake Garda, once again in collaboration with Navigazione Laghi.
The exercises relating to the coordinated SAR operation on the lakes of Como, Garda and Maggiore are essential for boosting cooperation between the various state agencies,” said Commander Antonello Ragadale of the Port Authority Corps, Commander of the Milan Coastguard Lakes Operations Unit. “In the context of coordinating rescue operations, of great importance is the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2024 by the Prefectures of Como and Lecco with the Provincial Fire Service Commands, the Maritime Directorate of Liguria and other police forces, which enables the exchange of information between the various state agencies regarding the operational readiness schedules of the various vessels operating on Lake Como.”
“The aim of these exercises is to test personnel and equipment to ensure full efficiency and effectiveness in various scenarios, during which the response must always be prompt and decisive,” continued Ragadale. With regard to the importance of ensuring maximum safety for users of lake transport services, “it is essential, particularly with the summer season fast approaching, to be ready to respond to any rescue or safety emergency,” concluded Ragadale. A heartfelt thanks goes to Navigazione Laghi, which provided two vessels for the exercise on 14th April. This year, we were able to test what might occur on a vessel, in terms of both public order and passenger safety. The drill demonstrated excellent teamwork, allowing us to test the effectiveness of the safety system implemented by the various police and rescue forces operating on Lake Como.”
