Castelnuovo Cilento – the investigation by the Vallo della Lucania Prosecutor's Office will shed light on yet another fatal accident along the state road 18 Cilentana.
The Carabinieri who were entrusted with the task of making surveys and hearing witnesses now have the difficult task of reconstructing the dynamics and ascertaining any responsibilities. In the meantime, Cilento mourns two more of its children, two victims.
The tragedy occurred yesterday evening between Pattano and Vallo Scalo, in the municipality of Castelnuovo Cilento. A head-on collision of unprecedented violence took the lives of two men: Eugenio Mautone, 32 years old, and Andrea Cortazzo, 82 years.
A third man, injured, was taken to hospital in a state of shock. The cars involved were reduced to a pile of sheet metal, while rescuers worked for hours to extract the bodies and provide assistance.
The accident, which occurred between 19 and 20 pm, shocked the entire community. According to an initial reconstruction, Cortazzo, who was travelling in direction Vallo Scalo, allegedly invaded the overtaking lane, colliding head-on with Mautone's car, which was traveling in the opposite direction. The causes of the impact are still unclear, but among the hypotheses being considered by investigators are a reckless overtaking or a moment of distraction.
Rescue and relief
The Fire Department, the Carabinieri and some 118 crews intervened on the spot, with ambulances from the Misericordia of Vallo della Lucania and Omignano, in addition to the medical car. Despite the timely interventions, there was nothing that could be done for Mautone and Cortazzo.
The victims and the injured
The dramatic accident that occurred on the Cilentana has shattered the lives of Eugenio Mautone e Andrea Cortazzo, leaving their communities in shock.
Mautone, originally from Angellara of Vallo and resident in Saint Barbara of Ceraso, he was the son of the Flai Cgil trade unionist Sergio Mautone. A very well-known and appreciated young man, he had decided to settle in Ceraso, the town of his girlfriend. His sudden disappearance has thrown the entire town into despair.
Andrea Cortazzo, instead, was a historical face of the Cilento territory. Originally from Tissue, for decades had animated the squares with his Balloon stall, becoming an icon for young and old. His death has left an unfillable void in the community.
A third man, originally from Vallo, transported to the hospital in a state of shock San Luca. His condition has not yet been released.
A road marked by blood
Yet another tragedy on the Cilento turns the spotlight back on the dangers of this road artery, the scene of numerous accidents often caused by risky overtaking, speed and distractions. While the police continue their investigations to reconstruct the dynamics of the incident, the Cilento community gathers around the families of the victims, in the pain of an irreparable loss.
Article published on March 15, 2025 - 12pm
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It is very sad to see that such serious accidents happen often on the Cilentana. The community should do more to increase safety, because every time it happens, it leaves deep wounds among people.