Riyadh, fall into an escarpment in the desert: three Italians, professional dancers dead

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October 17, 2021 - Three Italians died in an accident in the desert near Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Among them also the dancer and choreographer from Bisceglie (Barletta Andria Trani), Antonio Caggianelli, 33, and Giampiero Giarri, also a dancer, resident in Tor San Lorenzo, a fraction of the Lazio municipality of Ardea. It is learned from local media. The identity of the third deceased Italian is still unknown.

The incident dates back to Saturday, but there was news of it today. Caggianelli participated in the latest edition of the Notte della Taranta. The three Italians, all dancers, were in the Arab country to perform and, on their day off, they had decided to go on an excursion in the desert with a group of 10 people.

As far as we know, the vehicles on which they were traveling would have ended up in an escarpment. In addition to the 3 Italians, 2 other local people died. The other members of the party were injured. Among them, three were transported to hospital, one with a reserved prognosis, another with a collar and the third with various fractures.

The Farnesina, through the Italian embassy in Riyadh, immediately took action, following the dramatic story in contact with the families. 

"The death of our young fellow citizen pains and saddens us deeply. At that age you have so many projects, ideas, enthusiasm, you work to build your future and pursue your dreams, just like Antonio did, with vitality and resourcefulness, making himself appreciated and loved by everyone ". So on Facebook the mayor of Bisceglie (Bat), Angelantonio Angarano, commenting on the death of the 33-year-old dancer and choreographer, Antonio Caggianelli.

"Having to accept that such a young life can be broken is very bad. On behalf of our whole community - writes the mayor - we hug Antonio's family and express our deepest condolences". Angarano also said that "through the Prefecture we have taken steps to contact the Italian Embassy in Saudi Arabia for the return of the body, which we will wait in the city for a last moving greeting".

Caggianelli had also participated in the latest edition of the Notte della Taranta.

On the official Facebook page of the festival, he is remembered as "the academic dancer protagonist of the Concertone 2021".

"Di Antonio - reads the post -, before each step, before each glance, his smile arrived, as beautiful as the port of his city, Bisceglie. He was in Saudi Arabia since last Friday. He decided to discover the desert. And He has never returned from that desert, the victim of an accident. Our deepest condolences go to his family, his friends, the whole Taranta family who embraced him in 2021 ".