Manslaughter investigation as yacht captain 'killed by toilet fumes'
Giovanni Marchionni, 21, is thought to have possibly inhaled fumes from a chemical toilet or hull batteries.
He was found on Friday on a boat which was moored at the Marina di Portisco in the municipality of Olbia in Sardinia, Italy.
READ MORE: Everything we know so far as woman's death prompts murder investigation
His body will undergo a post-mortem on Wednesday as part of a manslaughter investigation launched by the Tempio Pausania prosecutor's office.
Giovanni had secured a job as captain of the boat after its owner and her family set off for a two-week holiday at sea.
He was discovered unresponsive in the tiny cabin of the boat by a horrified marina worker in Portisco, north-eastern Sardinia.
Giovanni, originally from a town near Naples, previously worked at a shipyard in Licola. He leaves behind his parents and four siblings.
The mayor of Giovanni's hometown, Josi Gerardo Della Ragione, described the cabin as "so cramped that two people couldn't fit inside".
Describing Giovanni, he said: "A cheerful young man, loved by many.
"A dreamer who loved the sea." The mayor declared a day of mourning in the town on the day of the funeral to commemorate Giovanni's life.
Investigators believe Giovanni had been dead for several hours before he was found, with early indications suggesting he may have been overcome by noxious fumes.
A young woman was also reportedly with Giovanni the night before his death but left after noticing a "bad smell".
There were no other guests on the vessel at the time. Specialist hazardous-substance teams, police, and harbour authorities attended the scene to investigate the death.
The Tempio Prosecutor's Office has opened an investigation, and the boat has been seized as part of its inquiries, local newspaper L'unione Sarda reports.
Giovanni's grieving family said he had been hired as the skipper for the Costa Smeralda trip, working cash-in-hand and off the books. .
The region is a popular destination for the rich and famous, attracting celebrities, yacht owners and those looking for a high-end holiday experience.
The yacht's owner — a businesswoman from near Naples — insisted he was there as a holiday guest.
Italian publication Il Mattino reported the case has gained national attention and widespread traction online.
Mayor Della Ragione has vowed to stand by the family as they seek answers.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
43 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Affidavit: Gun play leads to death in SE Portland
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A welfare check that became a SERT standoff is now a homicide investigation inside a Southeast Portland apartment. Leonel Macias was originally booked by Portland police for second-degree murder. But Monday afternoon, the charge was downgraded to manslaughter as new details about the became more clear. A probable cause affidavit obtained by KOIN 6 News showed Macias and the victim, Kimberly Venegas-Gonzalez, were playing with a .45-caliber gun when she was shot in the neck. The timeline revealed in the document showed Macias called 911 at 6:32 p.m. and said his girlfriend was dead. At that same time, his mother, Felipa Silva, called 911 and said her son's girlfriend accidentally shot herself and he shot himself. Just 4 minutes later, Portland police arrived at the residence and saw a man and woman — later identified as Silva and her boyfriend, Jesus Magna — standing outside with the front door open. Silva told officers 'he has a gun,' as the front door closed. Silva told police she and Magna had been with her son and girlfriend earlier but left to get ice cream. About 10 minutes after they left, her son Facetimed her and said, while holding a gun to his chin, he wanted to kill himself because 'he did not know there was a bullet in the chamber,' the document states. When they got back to the apartment, Silva said they saw Macias standing in front of the couch where his girlfriend was slumped over. The document states Magna tried to calm Macias down, but when he heard police sirens coming, he 'said he was going to shoot and pointed his gun toward the front door' as his mother and her boyfriend left. Flash bangs were used to breach the front door of the apartment. Once the SERT team got inside, they found the woman slumped over on the couch, but Macias was not in the living room. Officers took the body of the young woman outside, where she was declared dead. Fishing vessel capsizes near Yaquina Bay; 3 rescued, 1 missing The standoff between Macias, 20, and police began at that point and lasted until around 9 p.m. when he came out of the residence. A K9 was used to take him into custody. He was taken to the hospital for treatment but was released and then booked into jail. When investigators had a chance to look inside the apartment, they found a single .45 caliber casing between the front door and the couch. Investigators used a 'trajectory rod' to search for the bullet, and found it in the baseboard heater, the document states. On Monday, an autopsy concluded 'the muzzle of the gun was touching the victim's skin when it was fired' on the front of her neck. Authorities said detectives determined the circumstances around this shooting were criminal, but haven't yet released more extensive details. Because of a technicality on the state's part, Macias was not able to enter a plea. A KOIN 6 News search of court records show he has no previous criminal history in Oregon. This is the 24th homicide of 2025 in Portland, a decided drop from the 47 homicides at this point a year ago. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Bhim Kohli's teenage killer to have sentence reviewed at Court of Appeal
A teenage boy who killed elderly dog walker Bhim Kohli is set to have his sentence reviewed at the Court of Appeal on Wednesday. Mr Kohli, 80, was punched and kicked, slapped in the face with a shoe and racially abused in an attack in Franklin Park, Braunstone Town, near Leicester, on September 1 last year, and died the next day. The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to seven years' custody in June, when he was aged 15. The Attorney General's Office (AGO) announced in July that the Solicitor General, Lucy Rigby, had referred the sentence to the Court of Appeal under the unduly lenient sentence scheme. Lawyers for the teenager will also make a bid to have the sentence reduced at the same hearing. Following a six-week trial at Leicester Crown Court, the boy was convicted of manslaughter but cleared of murder. A 13-year-old girl, who also cannot be named, was convicted alongside him. She encouraged the attack by filming parts of it while laughing, with video clips showing the balaclava-clad boy hitting Mr Kohli with a shoe. The girl was sentenced to a three-year youth rehabilitation order by Mr Justice Turner, but her sentence has not been referred to the Court of Appeal. Mr Kohli's children found him lying on the ground in agony, when he told his daughter that he had been called a 'Paki' during the attack, the court heard in the trial. Jurors also heard the boy say in his evidence that he had a 'tussle' with Mr Kohli over his slider shoe before he slapped the elderly man with it out of 'instinct', which caused the pensioner to fall to his knees, but that he denied kicking or punching him. In a letter written by the boy to a woman who had worked with him at the residential unit where he was being looked after, he wrote: 'I f****** hate what I did. I regret it so much. 'I have flashbacks of that day and it just upsets me. I kinda just needed anger etc releasing.' Mid Leicestershire MP Peter Bedford and the MP for South Leicestershire, Alberto Costa, wrote to the AGO in June asking for the sentences to be reviewed. A spokesperson for the AGO said last month that Ms Rigby was 'appalled by this violent, cowardly attack on an innocent man'.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Gun fired at Sydney Airport, Cadbury product pulled nationally over contamination fears, two dead in botulism outbreak
Hello and welcome to Yahoo's live news blog this Wednesday. A man has been arrested and a part of Sydney Airport shut down after a police firearm was discharged inside a terminal. Two people have died and 14 more hospitalised after eating toxic sandwiches from a food truck in Italy's south. Authorities believe they suffered from botulism with nine people being investigated over the outbreak. Coles, Woolworths and a host of other stores have pulled a Cadbury product over fears it is contaminated with plastic. Follow along as we bring you regular updates throughout the day. Tony Abbott directs traffic in car park We've seen former prime minister Tony Abbott pop up in all sorts of places over the years and now he's been spotted stepping in to direct traffic. The moment Abbott, dressed in a shirt and tie, assisted drivers at a boom gate in an underground car park was captured on video by Meredith Whitworth and shared by the Humans of Eastwood Instagram page. Enjoy. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Humans of Eastwood | Justin Li (@humansofeastwooddaily) Kangaroo Island hit by quake Kangaroo Island has been rocked by a magnitude 3.6 earthquake in the early hours of Wednesday, just days after another tremor shook the state's Mid North. Geoscience Australia recorded the quake at a depth of 10km, striking just after 1am and felt in and around Kingscote and parts of the South Australian mainland. Dozens of people have so far reported experiencing the tremor. A magnitude 3.4 earthquake occurred on Kangaroo Island in South Australia at 1:32am today. Report what you felt at — Seismology Research Centre (@Earthquakes_AU) August 12, 2025 The latest seismic activity follows a magnitude 2.5 quake near Laura in the Mid North at 2.26am on Friday. That tremor, detected at a depth of 4km, was felt in Jamestown and Hallett. Earlier this month, two quakes to the north of Adelaide - a 2.3 magnitude shake at Hawker and a 2.8 tremor near the Flinders Ranges - were recorded on the same day. In June, Jamestown was struck by a 3.2 magnitude earthquake, with more than 70 reports from residents who felt it. That came just over a month after a 2.7 magnitude tremor hit the Adelaide Hills near Nairne. - NewsWire Two die in suspected botulism outbreak Two people have died in Italy from suspected botulism after eating sausage sandwiches from a food truck. Authorities are investigating nine people over the outbreak that has left 14 people hospitalised in the nation's south, The Telegraph reported. The victims all fell ill within 24 to 48 hours of eating paninis filled with grilled sausages and summer vegetables from the food truck. 'Toxic botulism is highly potent. Just a very small amount is enough to cause serious harm, as we have seen," Enrico Di Rosa, the president of the Italian Society of Workplace Hygiene, said. Cadbury product pulled from shelves nationwide Cadbury Australia has issued a product recall on a popular chocolate item sold at Coles, Woolworths, IGA, Drakes, The Reject Shop, and independent retailers nationally. The confectionery company is recalling the 10 Piece Sharebag Marvellous Creations Jelly Popping Candy Beanies 160g marked with the date 21.05.2026. The $7 product is being recalled due to the presence of plastic, which may cause illness or injury if consumed. The Marvellous Creations Sharebag includes 10 mini bars, combining Cadbury Dairy Milk milk chocolate, jelly pieces, beanies, and popping candy. No other Cadbury products have been affected by this recall. Read more here. Dramatic scenes after gun fired at Sydney Airport A man has been arrested after a police firearm was discharged during a dramatic confrontation at the T2 domestic terminal at Sydney Airport. Australian Federal Police have confirmed the man was arrested on Wednesday morning. 'An investigation into the incident has been launched and a crime scene has been established,' police said in a statement. 'There were no injuries as a result of the incident and there is no ongoing threat to the public. 'Further comment will be provided at an appropriate time.' A spokesperson for Sydney Airport media earlier confirmed an altercation had taken place at a domestic terminal of the Mascot airport on Wednesday morning. 'Sydney Airport is currently assisting Australian Federal Police following an incident earlier this morning,' a statement read. 'No injuries occurred as a result of the incident. 'An arrest has been made and the airport is operating normally.' It has been reported the incident sent part of the T2 terminal into lockdown, according to 2GB's Ben Fordham. Video obtained by 2GB showed a man pinned to floor by at least two other men, with a AFP officer brandishing a rifle kneeling on the floor next to the group. One witness told 2GB "everyone hit the deck" when the gun discharged. - NewsWire Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. Tony Abbott directs traffic in car park We've seen former prime minister Tony Abbott pop up in all sorts of places over the years and now he's been spotted stepping in to direct traffic. The moment Abbott, dressed in a shirt and tie, assisted drivers at a boom gate in an underground car park was captured on video by Meredith Whitworth and shared by the Humans of Eastwood Instagram page. Enjoy. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Humans of Eastwood | Justin Li (@humansofeastwooddaily) We've seen former prime minister Tony Abbott pop up in all sorts of places over the years and now he's been spotted stepping in to direct traffic. The moment Abbott, dressed in a shirt and tie, assisted drivers at a boom gate in an underground car park was captured on video by Meredith Whitworth and shared by the Humans of Eastwood Instagram page. Enjoy. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Humans of Eastwood | Justin Li (@humansofeastwooddaily) Kangaroo Island hit by quake Kangaroo Island has been rocked by a magnitude 3.6 earthquake in the early hours of Wednesday, just days after another tremor shook the state's Mid North. Geoscience Australia recorded the quake at a depth of 10km, striking just after 1am and felt in and around Kingscote and parts of the South Australian mainland. Dozens of people have so far reported experiencing the tremor. A magnitude 3.4 earthquake occurred on Kangaroo Island in South Australia at 1:32am today. Report what you felt at — Seismology Research Centre (@Earthquakes_AU) August 12, 2025 The latest seismic activity follows a magnitude 2.5 quake near Laura in the Mid North at 2.26am on Friday. That tremor, detected at a depth of 4km, was felt in Jamestown and Hallett. Earlier this month, two quakes to the north of Adelaide - a 2.3 magnitude shake at Hawker and a 2.8 tremor near the Flinders Ranges - were recorded on the same day. In June, Jamestown was struck by a 3.2 magnitude earthquake, with more than 70 reports from residents who felt it. That came just over a month after a 2.7 magnitude tremor hit the Adelaide Hills near Nairne. - NewsWire Kangaroo Island has been rocked by a magnitude 3.6 earthquake in the early hours of Wednesday, just days after another tremor shook the state's Mid North. Geoscience Australia recorded the quake at a depth of 10km, striking just after 1am and felt in and around Kingscote and parts of the South Australian mainland. Dozens of people have so far reported experiencing the tremor. A magnitude 3.4 earthquake occurred on Kangaroo Island in South Australia at 1:32am today. Report what you felt at — Seismology Research Centre (@Earthquakes_AU) August 12, 2025 The latest seismic activity follows a magnitude 2.5 quake near Laura in the Mid North at 2.26am on Friday. That tremor, detected at a depth of 4km, was felt in Jamestown and Hallett. Earlier this month, two quakes to the north of Adelaide - a 2.3 magnitude shake at Hawker and a 2.8 tremor near the Flinders Ranges - were recorded on the same day. In June, Jamestown was struck by a 3.2 magnitude earthquake, with more than 70 reports from residents who felt it. That came just over a month after a 2.7 magnitude tremor hit the Adelaide Hills near Nairne. - NewsWire Two die in suspected botulism outbreak Two people have died in Italy from suspected botulism after eating sausage sandwiches from a food truck. Authorities are investigating nine people over the outbreak that has left 14 people hospitalised in the nation's south, The Telegraph reported. The victims all fell ill within 24 to 48 hours of eating paninis filled with grilled sausages and summer vegetables from the food truck. 'Toxic botulism is highly potent. Just a very small amount is enough to cause serious harm, as we have seen," Enrico Di Rosa, the president of the Italian Society of Workplace Hygiene, said. Two people have died in Italy from suspected botulism after eating sausage sandwiches from a food truck. Authorities are investigating nine people over the outbreak that has left 14 people hospitalised in the nation's south, The Telegraph reported. The victims all fell ill within 24 to 48 hours of eating paninis filled with grilled sausages and summer vegetables from the food truck. 'Toxic botulism is highly potent. Just a very small amount is enough to cause serious harm, as we have seen," Enrico Di Rosa, the president of the Italian Society of Workplace Hygiene, said. Cadbury product pulled from shelves nationwide Cadbury Australia has issued a product recall on a popular chocolate item sold at Coles, Woolworths, IGA, Drakes, The Reject Shop, and independent retailers nationally. The confectionery company is recalling the 10 Piece Sharebag Marvellous Creations Jelly Popping Candy Beanies 160g marked with the date 21.05.2026. The $7 product is being recalled due to the presence of plastic, which may cause illness or injury if consumed. The Marvellous Creations Sharebag includes 10 mini bars, combining Cadbury Dairy Milk milk chocolate, jelly pieces, beanies, and popping candy. No other Cadbury products have been affected by this recall. Read more here. Cadbury Australia has issued a product recall on a popular chocolate item sold at Coles, Woolworths, IGA, Drakes, The Reject Shop, and independent retailers nationally. The confectionery company is recalling the 10 Piece Sharebag Marvellous Creations Jelly Popping Candy Beanies 160g marked with the date 21.05.2026. The $7 product is being recalled due to the presence of plastic, which may cause illness or injury if consumed. The Marvellous Creations Sharebag includes 10 mini bars, combining Cadbury Dairy Milk milk chocolate, jelly pieces, beanies, and popping candy. No other Cadbury products have been affected by this recall. Read more here. Dramatic scenes after gun fired at Sydney Airport A man has been arrested after a police firearm was discharged during a dramatic confrontation at the T2 domestic terminal at Sydney Airport. Australian Federal Police have confirmed the man was arrested on Wednesday morning. 'An investigation into the incident has been launched and a crime scene has been established,' police said in a statement. 'There were no injuries as a result of the incident and there is no ongoing threat to the public. 'Further comment will be provided at an appropriate time.' A spokesperson for Sydney Airport media earlier confirmed an altercation had taken place at a domestic terminal of the Mascot airport on Wednesday morning. 'Sydney Airport is currently assisting Australian Federal Police following an incident earlier this morning,' a statement read. 'No injuries occurred as a result of the incident. 'An arrest has been made and the airport is operating normally.' It has been reported the incident sent part of the T2 terminal into lockdown, according to 2GB's Ben Fordham. Video obtained by 2GB showed a man pinned to floor by at least two other men, with a AFP officer brandishing a rifle kneeling on the floor next to the group. One witness told 2GB "everyone hit the deck" when the gun discharged. - NewsWire A man has been arrested after a police firearm was discharged during a dramatic confrontation at the T2 domestic terminal at Sydney Airport. Australian Federal Police have confirmed the man was arrested on Wednesday morning. 'An investigation into the incident has been launched and a crime scene has been established,' police said in a statement. 'There were no injuries as a result of the incident and there is no ongoing threat to the public. 'Further comment will be provided at an appropriate time.' A spokesperson for Sydney Airport media earlier confirmed an altercation had taken place at a domestic terminal of the Mascot airport on Wednesday morning. 'Sydney Airport is currently assisting Australian Federal Police following an incident earlier this morning,' a statement read. 'No injuries occurred as a result of the incident. 'An arrest has been made and the airport is operating normally.' It has been reported the incident sent part of the T2 terminal into lockdown, according to 2GB's Ben Fordham. Video obtained by 2GB showed a man pinned to floor by at least two other men, with a AFP officer brandishing a rifle kneeling on the floor next to the group. One witness told 2GB "everyone hit the deck" when the gun discharged. - NewsWire
