Italy woke up to tragedy on Tuesday morning. Josep Martínez, Spanish goalkeeper for Inter Milan, was involved in a fatal accident after accidentally striking an 81-year-old man in an electric wheelchair, who sadly died instantly. The incident occurred in Fenegrò, a small town in the province of Como, in northern Italy.

A Tragic Accident

The accident took place around 9:40 a.m. (local time) as the Valencian goalkeeper was driving to Inter’s training center. According to the first reports from Italian media, the 27-year-old immediately stopped his car and rushed to help the man, but despite his efforts, he was unable to save his life.

Emergency services arrived minutes later but could only confirm the man’s death at the scene.

Early Investigation Findings

Preliminary investigations suggest that the elderly man may have lost consciousness or suffered a heart attack, causing him to veer into the road just as the footballer’s car was passing by.

For now, Italian authorities are gathering evidence and eyewitness accounts to clarify the full circumstances of the incident, though everything points to a tragic, unintentional accident.

Inter Milan’s Reaction

Shortly after the news broke, Inter Milan issued an official statement expressing its deep sorrow and offering condolences to both the victim’s family and the player. The club also canceled head coach Cristian Chivu’s scheduled press conference at 2:00 p.m. out of respect for those affected.

The accident has caused deep shock across Italian football. Josep Martínez, who joined Inter this summer after his spell with Genoa, is said to be profoundly shaken by the tragedy.