Body of Missing Swiss Soccer Player Florijana Ismaili Found Submerged in Lake Como
Missing Swiss soccer player Florijana Ismaili’s body has been found in Northern Italy after she jumped into Lake Como from a boat and did not return to the surface over the weekend.
The 24-year-old striker’s body was found on Tuesday at a depth of 204 meters, Italian authorities told CNN. A team of divers using an autonomous underwater vehicle found her, the outlet reported.
The Swiss Football Association confirmed Ismaili’s death on its website.
“The Swiss Football Association has the painful task of informing about the death of its national player Florijana Ismaili. We are all upset, deeply affected and very, very sad,” their statement said.
Ismaili, who served as the captain of the BSC Young Boys’ women’s team also played 33 matches for the Swiss international team over the past five years, according to the association.
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Ismaili’s teammates have expressed their grief following the news of her death.
“I am deeply saddened and shaken. It’s hard to accept that Flori is gone,” the Swiss women’s coach, Nils Nielsen, told the BBC.
“She always had a smile on her face and inspired us with her happy nature,” Nielsen continued. “She was someone who faced every challenge and set the example. I can only imagine what it must be like for all those who knew Flori longer and closer than me. But my thoughts are with them in these difficult times.”
“Until the last moment, I still had hoped for a miracle and wished in my heart that everything was just a bad dream,” added her teammate Lia Walti to the outlet. “The news has hit me deeply and you can not find any right words at such a moment. I just hope very much that Flori did not have to suffer.”
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“We are all incredibly sad and shocked. It is inconceivable that Flori is no longer with us,” teammate Lara Dickenmann said.
The BSC Young Boys previously announced that Ismaili was missing, saying in a statement Sunday that “our player Florijana Ismaili has been missing since Saturday afternoon on Lake Como after a swimming accident. Searches by the police continue. We are very concerned and have not given up the hope that everything will turn out well.”
“We are in close contact with family members and we ask for your understanding that we can not provide any further information at the present time. We will inform again as soon as we know more,” the statement continued.
After the news of her death, the club said in a statement Tuesday, “We are very upset and deeply affected.”
