The group had reportedly been on a chartered boat with friends and two children when the incident occurred at about 1:30pm on Monday near San Siro, on the western side of the lake.
According to local reports, the father and his teenage son had swum about 600 metres from the shore when they got into difficulty. The British man, who was reportedly friends with the family, then entered the water in an attempt to rescue them but disappeared beneath the surface.
An extensive search operation was subsequently launched, involving specialist divers, rescue boats, helicopters and other emergency services. Authorities have also requested remotely operated vehicles capable of searching underwater using heavy cables as efforts to locate the missing man continue.
The father and son were eventually rescued by a passing boat and were reportedly showing early signs of hypothermia.
The teenager’s mother, who remained on the boat with their 10-year-old child, is said to have alerted emergency services. The family was later taken to the pier by the Como Guardia di Finanza unit, where paramedics attended to them.
Police have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident, including checks at the rental agency where the boat was hired.
Lake Como reaches depths of between 150 and 200 metres in its deepest sections, making the search operation particularly challenging.
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