Alfredino Rampi: The Story of the Child Who Died in a Well in Vermicino in 1981
L'essentiel
- In 1981, six-year-old Alfredino Rampi fell into a well in Vermicino, Italy.
- Despite three days of intensive rescue efforts, he tragically died.
- The incident, broadcast live for 18 hours, deeply impacted Italy and led to the acceleration of the Civil Protection system.
Résumé généré par IA
Pourquoi c'est important
The tragedy of Vermicino refers to the death of six-year-old Alfredino Rampi, who fell into an 80-meter deep artesian well in 1981. The extensive and televised rescue efforts lasted three days but were ultimately unsuccessful.
Alfredino Rampi, the story of the child who died in a well in Vermicino in 1981. PHOTO
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11 photos
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THE TRAGEDY OF VERMICINO
The tragedy of Vermicino is one of the news events that have indelibly marked Italy's collective memory. On June 13, 1981, little Alfredino Rampi, six years old, died in an artesian well in the countryside near Frascati, into which he had fallen. Three days of non-stop rescue efforts were not enough to save him.
The story of the Vermicino tragedy
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THE SEARCH AND THE DISCOVERY OF THE FALL
On the evening of June 10, 1981, Alfredo Rampi – nicknamed Alfredino – went out for a walk. His father lost sight of him, the police were alerted, and the search began. A police officer heard the child's whimpers from a well on a property in the area. Rescue operations immediately began, proving to be very complex.
Alfredino's legacy, going beyond Vermicino
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THE FIRST RESCUE ATTEMPTS
The mouth of the well was only 28 centimeters wide, and the tunnel was 80 meters deep with very irregular walls. It was determined that the child was stuck at a depth of about 36 meters. The first attempts to lower a wooden board into the well to allow the child to cling to it led to nothing and further obstructed the passage.
How Alfredino changed Italy
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COMMUNICATIONS
Meanwhile, Rai technicians, by lowering their equipment into the well, allowed rescuers to communicate with the child. In the photo, Alfredino's mother with a megaphone at the entrance of the well.
Alfredo, the song by Baustelle dedicated to Alfredino Rampi. The analysis
5/11 ©Ansa
MILLIONS IN FRONT OF THE TV
After further attempts by the Alpine Rescue speleologists, it was decided to start digging two tunnels, one vertical and one horizontal. However, the operations proved complex. The live broadcast from Vermicino by Rai also began, which would last 18 hours and be followed by millions of people. The child's condition began to worsen.
Alfredo Rampi would be 50 years old today
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THE ARRIVAL OF PERTINI
The then President of the Republic, Sandro Pertini, also arrived at the scene. He asked for the microphone and tried to encourage the child. From the morning of June 12, Alfredino stopped responding to the rescuers.
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THE UNUSABLE TUNNEL
On the evening of June 12, the tunnel drilling was completed, and the newly dug horizontal tunnel reached a depth of 34 meters into Alfredino's well. However, it was discovered that, likely due to ground vibrations, the child had slipped much further down. It would later be understood that Alfredino was at 60 meters. The only solution was to lower someone into the remaining part of the well.
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ANGELO LICHERI
A volunteer came forward. Angelo Licheri, small and thin, descended all 60 meters of depth and reached Alfredino. He tried three times to fasten the harness to pull him out, but each time it opened. He then tried to grab the child by the arms, but in doing so, he caused him to slip even deeper. His attempts lasted about 45 minutes, well beyond the 25 considered the maximum for an upside-down operation. Licheri was brought back to the surface without Alfredino.
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DECLARATION OF DEATH
Other volunteers were lowered into the well, but none succeeded in the endeavor. The last one, a speleologist, reached the child at dawn on June 13 and declared him dead. His body was later recovered on July 11, a month after the fall. (In the photo, firefighter Nando Broglio, who spoke with Alfredino via megaphone for 24 hours in the early stages of the rescue).
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THE BIRTH OF CIVIL PROTECTION
The Vermicino incident had enormous media resonance: it was the first event broadcast live on TV non-stop and on all networks. Over 21 million people followed the very long live broadcast. The difficulties in the rescue machine paved the way for the acceleration in the birth of Civil Protection.
11/11 Lucia Iuorio
THE MINISERIES
In 2021, 40 years after the tragedy, Marco Pontecorvo directed the miniseries Alfredino - Una storia italiana, co-produced by Sky Italia and Lotus Production. Four episodes made with the collaboration of the Centro Alfredo Rampi, founded by the child's parents, Franca and Ferdinando, a few weeks after the events to promote prevention of environmental risk and improvement of technical and psychological rescue in emergencies. The cast includes, among others, Anna Foglietta, Francesco Acquaroli, Vinicio Marchioni, and Luca Angeletti.
Alfredino - Una storia italiana, the cast and characters of the miniseries. PHOTO
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Questions ouvertes
- What specific factors contributed most to the failure of the rescue attempts?
- Were there any procedural improvements implemented immediately after the event?
- What was the long-term psychological impact on the rescuers and the public?
- How did the establishment of the Centro Alfredo Rampi directly influence emergency response protocols?
