Two separate tragic incidents involving Albanians have shaken European roads this week — one in Italy and another in Germany — resulting in multiple deaths and injuries.
Fatal Police Chase in Italy Ends With Albanian Man’s Death and Drug Seizure
A 38-year-old Albanian man lost his life during a high-speed police chase on Saturday evening near Nettuno, just outside Rome. According to Italian authorities, the man was attempting to flee from law enforcement when his car veered off a rural road and crashed into a telephone pole, overturning and killing him on the spot.
The chase began when police noticed two vehicles speeding. While one car, a Fiat 500 driven by a 26-year-old Italian man, was stopped and its driver arrested, the second vehicle — driven by the Albanian — attempted to escape by turning onto a dirt road. A cloud of dust briefly obscured the officers' view, but minutes later, they discovered the vehicle had crashed.
Next to the wreck, police found a bag containing 25 kilograms of cocaine, packed into 23 separate bundles. The Italian driver has since been detained in Velletri prison, facing charges of drug possession and trafficking. Investigations continue as Italian authorities work to uncover the full extent of the drug operation.
German Highway Crash Claims Lives of Albanians Returning From Family Celebration
Meanwhile, in Germany, a devastating accident in the early hours of the morning on Autobahn 48 near Koblenz claimed the lives of three people — all believed to be of Albanian origin — and injured six others.
The victims were part of a group of nine passengers in a minibus returning from a family celebration in the state of Hesse. The vehicle, for reasons not yet determined, lost control and overturned multiple times. Among the deceased are a 53-year-old man and two women aged 47 and 65. The other six passengers, aged between 20 and 66, suffered injuries but are expected to recover.
Police confirmed that the 22-year-old driver, also believed to be Albanian, was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol. No other vehicles were directly involved, though one car was damaged by debris from the crash. The highway remained closed for over four hours while emergency services, police, and firefighters responded.
A Community in Mourning
These back-to-back incidents have sent waves of grief through the Albanian community in Europe. While one case is tied to serious criminal activity and the other to a tragic accident, both highlight the challenges and vulnerabilities faced by members of the Albanian diaspora abroad.
Authorities in both countries continue to investigate, as families and communities mourn the lives lost in what have become two deeply painful moments for Albanians in Europe.