Krakow shooting, Italian students and tourists saved

In Piazza del Mercato, in Krakow, during the shooting on Saturday 7 November there were also 34 students and 3 companions from the 'Ugo Foscolo' high school in Albano Laziale. They are all fine and no one has had to resort to medical treatment. Students and companions were secured by the Italian embassy, ​​which sent the director of the Krakow Institute of Culture and the honorary consul. The return to Italy will be managed by their travel agency; however, if they have difficulty finding a single flight, they will organize themselves in groups with the assistance of the Farnesina.

Tajani's confirmation

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani followed the events. "I confirm that today there were also 34 students and 3 companions from a high school in Albano Laziale present in the area of Piazza del Mercato - he said - the ambassador asked the honorary consul and the director of the Institute of Culture to go there. The two officials helped the group first to reunite and then to take refuge in a safe place. They missed the flight that was scheduled for this evening, but will return to Italy tomorrow. They will continue to be followed by our Embassy, by the director and from the consul: I thank them and all the officials of the Farnesina who today also in Rome as always have worked to protect Italian citizens in the world".

The story of the Bolognese tourist on social media

Instead, Umberto Orsini, manager of a dental company based in Modena, on holiday in the Polish city, entrusted his story to social media. "It was supposed to be a carefree weekend in Krakow...", he begins, "we were standing in front of Zara when I said to my friends: “Guys, come on, let's go have a coffee at the Hard Rock. A minute later, a shooting started right where we were. Only later did we discover that a man, in a car and armed with a military-style rifle, was crossing the center shooting indiscriminately into the crowd."

Orsini recounts those moments of fear: “We took refuge in the room amidst the screams, going up to the upper floors from the emergency exit. When we managed to get out, we saw the Zara window in a thousand pieces and a person on the ground, exactly where we were a few moments before. It was at that moment that tears came to my eyes. A minute was enough. Just one minute. I'm still in shock, but immensely grateful that I felt protected by something that guided me to walk away. Our thoughts, however, go to those 5 people who lost their lives, and how thin the line is between still being there and no longer being there, because there is no need to wait for another tomorrow to give value to the life we ​​have today".