In a chilling mystery that has haunted Italy for over three decades, the disappearance of the Guardia di Finanza helicopter Volpe 132 is set to be revisited in the upcoming episode of the program Linea di Confine on April 2, 2025. The incident, which occurred on March 2, 1994, over the Tyrrhenian Sea, remains unresolved, with the aircraft and the bodies of its two crew members never recovered.
At 14:00 on the day of the incident, the Elmas air section command of the Guardia di Finanza initiated a night reconnaissance mission along the Gulf of Angels in Sardinia. The mission involved the Agusta A-109A Mk.II Hirundo Volpe 132, with Brigadier Fabrizio Sedda, 28, serving as the aviator, and Marshal Gianfranco Deriu, 41, maintaining contact with air traffic control in Cagliari.
By 19:07, the 2nd Operational Unit of the Guardia di Finanza in Cagliari received confirmation that the helicopter was at Capo Carbonara and proceeding south. Just eight minutes later, the crew communicated with a patrol boat, requesting updates every five miles. However, at 19:18, Elmas airport detected a turn of the aircraft towards the Sette Fratelli massif, after which radar contact and radio communications ceased.
Following the disappearance, search operations were launched, but it wasn’t until two days later that floating wreckage was discovered. Despite initial hopes, the wreckage was found approximately 40 kilometers away from the last known radar position, raising questions about what had truly happened to Volpe 132.
In the aftermath, authorities attributed the incident to pilot error, a narrative that persisted despite eyewitness accounts suggesting the helicopter was shot down. A significant turning point came 17 years later when a technical report confirmed that an explosion had occurred on board, likely caused by fuel vapors igniting due to a projectile.
Further complicating the investigation was the presence of the merchant ship Lucina, which was reported to be in the vicinity of the helicopter's last known location. Witnesses claimed that after the helicopter went down, the Lucina sped away from the area. This ship, officially used for transporting grain, was later found in Algeria, where all seven crew members were murdered, raising suspicions about its true activities.
The Linea di Confine episode will delve into these connections, exploring the implications of the helicopter's disappearance and its potential links to the assassination of journalists Ilaria Alpi and Miran Hrovatin in Mogadishu just days later. Both Alpi and Hrovatin were investigating illicit trafficking, including arms and toxic waste, which adds another layer of intrigue to the Volpe 132 case.
As the program airs, it will feature discussions with experts and journalists, including Athos De Luca, a former member of the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry into Terrorism in Italy, and other investigative journalists who have covered the case extensively. They will examine the unresolved questions surrounding the incident, including the role of the Lucina and whether it was involved in illegal activities that could have warranted the helicopter's destruction.
Despite the passage of time, the families of Sedda and Deriu continue to seek justice, insisting that the truth about the Volpe 132 incident must be uncovered. Their fight for clarity echoes the broader demand for accountability in cases of violence and disappearance in Italy.
The program will also question why the investigation into Volpe 132 has not received the same rigorous attention as other tragic incidents, such as the Ustica DC9 disaster, which involved the disappearance of another aircraft under mysterious circumstances. This comparison highlights the ongoing struggle for truth and justice in cases that remain shrouded in secrecy.
As the mystery surrounding Volpe 132 continues to unfold, the upcoming episode of Linea di Confine aims to shed light on the complexities of the case and the enduring quest for answers. The tragic fate of the helicopter and its crew serves as a reminder of the dangers faced by those who confront illicit activities and the need for continued vigilance in the pursuit of justice.
With the episode airing at 23:20 on Rai 2, viewers are invited to engage with this enduring mystery and reflect on the implications of unresolved cases in the context of Italian history and justice.
