A woman was found dead after the sailboat she worked on caught fire in an Italian marina while she was sleeping, local authorities reported.
Giulia Maccaroni, 29, allegedly went to sleep on the ship after telling fellow crew members that she was tired after a cruise Monday, the New York Post reported.
The ship, named Morgane, which sails under the U.K. flag and is owned by an Italian company, later caught fire in a port along the southern Italian coast, the outlet reported. (RELATED: Fiery Boat Explosion Leaves 6 Injured On Docks Of Lake Lanier)
Firefighters found her body below deck without burns or other injuries, according to the Post.
Hostess reportedly dies while sleeping on sailboat that erupts in fire in Italy https://t.co/jz3WU6WIBf pic.twitter.com/GSsZyPBJye
— New York Post (@nypost) September 1, 2021
It is unknown whether Maccaroni was aware of the fire.
Due to the state her body was found in, it is believed Maccaroni suffocated in her sleep from possible asphyxiation.
Commander of the Stabia Harbor Master’s Office, Achille Selleri, said investigations were ongoing to discover the cause of the fire, according to the Daily Mail.
“At the moment we have no evidence that suggests the fire was caused by arson,” he said. “The wreck has been seized and will be subjected to technical checks to understand the causes of the fire.”
Marina staff were deeply affected by Giulia’s death and had tried to extinguish the fire before emergency services arrived, Giovan Battista La Mura, the president of the Port Marina di Stabia, said, the Daily Mail reported.
“The news of Giulia Maccaroni’s death leaves us saddened,” Eleonora Mattia, President of the Regional Council of Lazio, said, according to the Daily Mail. “She had a smile full of energy and a passion for the sea and adventures. My thoughts are with her family and the community who have lost a young life, a woman, and a daughter taken too soon.”
After being alerted of her death, Maccaroni’s family members were traveling down from her native Rome to identify the body, which was to undergo an autopsy, and assist authorities in the investigation, the Daily Mail reported.
The cause of the fire is still unknown and is currently under investigation.