Investigation launched after security guard found dead patrolling Winter Olympics construction site

An investigation has been launched after a security guard was tragically found dead while patrolling a Winter Olympics construction site.

The Winter Olympics draws to a close today (22 February) after a spectacular couple of weeks in Milan Cortina, which has already seen athletes Lindsey Vonn and Finley Melville Ives suffer horror crashes that left them hospitalised. However, the biggest medical tragedy took place on site before the sporting events could even begin, with a manslaughter investigation officially launched this week following the death of Italian security guard Pietro Zantonini.

The 55-year-old was working a night shift on the construction site in front of the Cortina Olympic Stadium on 8 January when he suffered a cardiac arrest and later passed away before ambulances could arrive.

It is reported that he started his shift at 7pm local time on 7 January, and was told to patrol the site until the morning, amid temperatures of just 10 degrees Fahrenheit (-12 degrees celsius).

He allegedly had a small heater in a cabin as one of the only ways of keeping himself warm, and by 2am he had begun to feel unwell, calling a colleague to express his concerns as he struggled to breathe. Unfortunately, he stopped breathing entirely before paramedics could arrive.

His family believe the freezing cold temperatures and poor conditions played their part (Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

His family have argued that the freezing temperatures and poor working conditions played a part in his death, with further tests still necessary to determine if there was any correlation between the cold and the 'acute cardiac event' which cost him his life.

Zantonini's wife and their adult son said that he 'had repeatedly expressed concerns and complaints about working conditions, long night shifts, and the lack of adequate protection', their lawyer, Francesco Dragone, told L'Unione, adding that on the night of his death, Zantonini 'was working a night shift, outdoors, in particularly harsh weather conditions.'

Investigators are now looking into any potential 'aggravating circumstances'. such as unsafe work and environmental conditions, which could potentially have led to the security guard's unfortunate death.

His family were also keen to stress that the circumstances of Zantonini's death 'bring back to the forefront the issue of safety and working conditions on construction sites and in services related to major events, particularly in view of the 2026 Winter Olympics'.

He was just 55 when he died (Maja Hitij/Getty Images)

Italian infrastructure minister Matteo Salvini previously told L'Unione that he was 'deeply saddened by the death of the security guard,' and had 'requested detailed information on the incident, with particular reference to the contract and his duties'.

Salvini said he wanted to 'take this opportunity to reiterate that workplace safety is a priority, to be taken before any other aspect, including the expediting of certain projects'.