Ischia, the illegal resort hidden among the rocks and in an area at risk of landslides

Barano d'Ischia – Not even the still-fresh memory of the tragic mudslides has been enough to stop property speculation on the Green Island. In the rocky heart of one of Ischia's wildest and most fragile sides, the hunger for concrete has reached where even the roads stop, defying nature and the law in an area at extremely high hydrogeological risk.

A blitz among the waves and drones

We are in the remote and spectacular location of "Capo Grosso – Scarrupata." To document the abuse, the Carabinieri of the Barano d'Ischia station were unable to use traditional patrol vehicles: escorted by the Naval Unit of the island company, the officers had to dive and swim to the reef.

Awaiting them, once they set foot on the rock, was an incredible clandestine infrastructure: iron and wood ladders for a 16-meter path climbing the wall, water pipes, and a system of flying drones that allowed them to pierce the veil of vegetation concealing the incredible artifact.

The Camouflage Resort

The investigation, which began in July, revealed a meticulously planned environmental attack. The squatters had excavated approximately 5 cubic meters of land to install a 32-square-meter structure. Underground, 120 meters of illegal water pipes fed the complex, while a natural cave had been transformed into a makeshift power plant, complete with a hidden generator.

To evade satellite surveillance and patrols from the sea, a dense camouflage net of vegetation was stretched over the entire structure, blending seamlessly with the Mediterranean scrub. An urban guerrilla warfare ploy that demonstrates full awareness of the crime and the desire to build an exclusive mini-resort sheltered from prying eyes.

A wound to the heart of the R4 area

What makes the situation even more serious is the dramatic fragility of the affected territory. The area falls in zone R4—the highest landslide risk zone—and is classified by the Regional Landscape Plan as "Coste Alta," subject to seismic restrictions. The works were built directly adjacent to a natural drainage channel, the channel that drains rainwater to the sea. This recklessness, in addition to devastating the landscape, significantly increased the risk of subsidence and landslides.

Four people reported, construction site seized

On site, the Carabinieri and technicians from the Municipal Technical Office found a construction site still in full swing, complete with sheet metal, sleepers, saws, and drills ready for use. To prevent irreversible environmental damage, two emergency precautionary seizures were initiated.

Four people—owners and co-owners of the land—have been charged at large. They will face charges of serious construction and landscaping offenses, and damage to cultural heritage. Initial technical reports have already revealed the final verdict on the structure: there will be no possibility of amnesty for the invisible resort.