An 82-year-old man from Gragnano has disappeared in the Foresta Umbra while searching for mushrooms. He was identified by Il Mattino as Gerardo Del Sorbo, a resident of Gragnano.
The disappearance was reported in the Coppa Croce area, within the territory of Vico del Gargano, in the province of Foggia. According to a family appeal reported by Il Mattino, Del Sorbo knew the woods well and regularly visited the area.
Last signal at 13:15
The reports agree that the last cellphone signal or location from the man was detected at 13:15. The reports do not provide a confirmed explanation for the disappearance. Losing his way and a possible medical problem have been mentioned only as possibilities, not as established facts.
Reports described the man as approximately 1.70 metres tall, thin and with short white hair. His clothing at the time was not known.
Search operation in the Foresta Umbra
Search operations in the Foresta Umbra involved firefighters, ground teams, canine units and drones. The reports also state that an Air Force helicopter equipped with infrared or night-vision technology and systems for locating phones was involved or requested.
La Repubblica identified the aircraft as an HH139B helicopter, while Quotidiano di Puglia reported that firefighters, canine units, drones and an Air Force helicopter were involved in the search. The available reports do not include a direct statement from rescuers or an official emergency bulletin.
What remains unclear
The acquired reports do not establish whether the man was subsequently found or what happened to him. They also do not fully agree on the exact date and duration of the disappearance, and no independently verified photograph was acquired.
For readers following this case, two points are important. First, the location information places the case in the Coppa Croce area of Vico del Gargano, while the search effort is described as taking place in the wider Foresta Umbra. Second, the reported search assets show a multi-agency response on the ground and in the air, but the reports do not yet provide an outcome or an official update.
