A powerboat racing pilot was killed on Sunday the 15th after he collided with another competitor in a race in Italy. The accident took place just after the start of the race. As the drivers took their boats towards the first turn Zantelli’s boat went airborne and landed on its side and rolling over, trapping Zantelli underwater, unconscious. Rescue teams were quick to the scene and extracted Zantelli. He was quickly rushed to a local hospital via ambulance. Despite the fast response from emergency teams, Zantelli passed away from his injuries sustained in the crash.
The accident took place during a Grand Prix race at the Idroscalo, which is an artificial lake near Milan. 48-year-old Paolo Zantelli was a two time European champion, winning titles in 1996 and 2001 and was the current Italian champion. Zantelli was second in this year’s F2 overall World Cup standings. Zantelli was considered Italy’s leading expert of his sports category following a career in the UIM F2 division that spanned 17 years.
