Gallipoli Hurricane Storm Sinks Eight Boats Damages Others

A storm which hit strongest at the sea-side town of Gallipoli, to the West of the Salento peninsula of Apulia in South East Italy over the weekend and most strong on the morning of Sunday fifth October, has sunk eight small boats and damaged others.  The storm which had its greatest intensity on the morning of Sunday is reported to have reached wind speeds up to eighty knots, which classifies it beyond the Beaufort Force Twelve wind scale, and enters it into a Category One Hurricane.  The damaged boats were moored at Darsena Fontanelle to the East were two boats sunk, and in the more further to the North East Porto Gaio were another six boats sunk. The sunk boats are reported to be under seven meters in length.  Other boats and yachts from eight to 25 meters also sustained damage, as some of them broke there moorings and collided into other boats.  Three sail yachts of around twelve meters in length who were anchored inside the Gallipoli port also received assistance by the Guardia Costiera Italian Coast Guard.