A body was discovered in Cala Fighera, Cagliari, on March 21, 2025, and authorities believe it may belong to 33-year-old Paolo Durzu, the boyfriend of Manola Mascia, 29, who was found dead just days earlier in the same waters. The troubling developments have raised numerous questions regarding the events that led to these tragic findings.
On March 19, authorities retrieved Mascia's body from the waters of Cala Fighera. Disturbingly, a bag containing Durzu's documents and cellphone was found nearby, indicating that both individuals vanished under unsettling circumstances. The return of search operations for Durzu commenced the morning of March 21, involving firefighters, canine teams, and drones to comb through the treacherous terrain both on land and at sea. However, the conditions were perilous, complicating recovery efforts.
As the clock ticked, firefighters spotted Durzu's body shortly before 10:00 AM, lodged among the rocks approximately 15 meters from Mascia’s recovery site. Cagliari's Coast Guard commander, Giovanni Stella, detailed the situation: "It’s impossible to intervene via sea due to waves reaching 2.5 meters high, which makes access to the area treacherous. Nevertheless, we have secured the body for retrieval from land." The recovery operation concluded around noon, after several tense hours.
Initial examinations revealed Mascia sustained a significant head injury, likely indicative of a fall from a height, yet there were no immediate signs of foul play. As more information emerged, the grief-stricken families now tide between hope and despair, clinging to the possibility that further investigations might uncover more answers.
Adding to the emotional complexity, witnesses reported disturbing interactions at the site, where Mascia’s brother, Michele, expressed his fury towards Durzu’s parents. "You have killed her, are you happy now?" he reportedly shouted, reflecting the raw pain and confusion gripping both families amid the grim search.
Mascia and Durzu were last seen on March 18, when the couple set out for a hike, after which both families reported them missing. According to Durzu's parents, they became concerned when their son failed to respond to texts that evening. “We thought he might have just forgotten to reply, but the concern deepened when we were visited by Manola's parents, and both their phones were off,” said Antonella Contu, Durzu’s mother. “We made a report, but were initially told to wait 12 hours since it could have been voluntary.”
The heartache felt by the families has been captured amid a flurry of social media appeals for information. On the night prior to the discovery, Antonella appealed through Facebook: “The mother is waiting for you, she is devastated. Come home; I miss you so much.” Accompanied by Durzu's smiling photo, the appeal struck a deep chord within the local community, with many sending support through comments filled with prayers and encouragement.
While investigations are still in the early stages, the local authorities continue to keep all avenues open, including considering the tragic possibility of an accident. Yet the emotional scars remain raw, as two families grapple with the upheaval that has turned a quiet region in Cagliari into the stage for a tragic mystery. In statement, a local investigator expressed, “We have to understand what happened between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, and we will explore every possibility.”
The medical examiner, Roberto Demontis, is expected to conduct autopsies on both bodies, which should yield further insight into the nature of this calamity. Relatives await with bated breath, reflecting on a love story punctuated by uncertainty and disaster. In the meantime, the community remains on edge, drawn together by grief and a quest for understanding surrounding the events that unraveled so perilously on the scenic shores of Cala Fighera.
