Fabrizio Longo, the director of Audi Italia, tragically fell to his death while hiking at Cima Payer in the Adamello mountains on Saturday. The 62-year-old automotive executive reportedly ascended a route featuring fixed steel cables, ladders, and various aids.
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According to local media via The Sun, the incident took place early in the afternoon, and Longo is recognized as an expert mountaineer.
Rescue teams swiftly responded to the scene after a fellow climber, who witnessed the tragedy, alerted emergency services. A helicopter team subsequently discovered Longo’s body approximately 700 feet deep within a gorge.
Per SummitPost.Org, during World War I, the Adamello and Presanella regions, located along the Italian and Austro-Hungarian border, were the site of the White War, where both armies fought at high altitudes, even in harsh winter conditions. The Italian Alpine Army constructed a fortified path along the Castellaccio-Lagoscuro-Cima Payer ridge to confront the Austro-Hungarian forces in the Genova Valley. The “Sentiero dei Fiori” via Ferrata follows this historic route, divided into two sections connecting Paradiso Pass to Corno di Lagoscuro and from Cima Payer to Corno di Lagoscuro.
Meanwhile, the Prosecutor’s Office is currently conducting an investigation, and a date for the funeral will be determined once Longo’s body is released to his family.
Audi Exec Fabrizio Longo Had Championed the Conservation of the Mountain Region
Born in Rimini in 1962, Longo graduated with a degree in political science. His career in the automotive industry commenced in 1987 at Fiat, where he worked in various marketing roles. In 2002, he took on the responsibility for the Italian market for the Lancia brand.
Longo, who became part of Audi in 2012, had a deep appreciation for the Adamello mountain, frequently visiting it and actively contributing to its conservation over the years.
He also emphasized the importance of safeguarding the Adamello Mountains against environmental challenges.
He recently spoke on the matter.
“Today, everyone talks about sustainability, but I prefer the word ‘awareness.’ Behind awareness, there is a much broader value because it presupposes a deep understanding of the context. And it implies choices by companies that translate into realistic solutions,” he said, per The Mirror.
Meanwhile, Longo was a prominent figure in the winter sports community, and the International Ski and Snowboard Federation issued a statement to mourn his passing.
Flavio Roda, the head of the federation said Longo’s passing was “a terrible loss for the federation that has collaborated fruitfully with Longo for years.”
“We join the family in this moment of great pain, and with the staff of Audi Italia,” he added.