Landing prohibited, skis on, and a descent down the slopes as if nothing had happened. Eight months ago in Trentino, today in the mountains near Brescia. The mountain changes, but the scene repeats itself, and the protagonist is the same: Brescian entrepreneur Bortolo Giorgio Oliva, 66, once again in trouble for landing his helicopter on the snow without authorization. This time on the slopes of the Maniva Pass.
The helicopter landed directly in the ski area. Oliva parked it at the edge of the slope, put on his skis and boots, and skied down the slope before being found and identified by the Carabinieri who responded to the scene. This illegal maneuver now carries an administrative fine from ENAC, the Italian Civil Aviation Authority, and could even lead to the suspension of his flight ticket. And Oliva must have known he was breaking the law, given that this morning a familiar scenario unfolded. Last April, the Brescia-based entrepreneur was fined in Madonna di Campiglio for a virtually identical incident. On that occasion, his helicopter landed in the "off-piste" area of the Grostè ski area, above 1,600 meters, where Trentino-Alto Adige regulations expressly prohibit landings.
Stopped by the Carabinieri while skiing, the entrepreneur admitted to not having a permit and was fined €2,000. Once the investigation was completed, he also took flight again. An industrialist from Odolo, in Valsabbia, and owner of Olifer, Oliva is a pilot with extensive flight experience. But his name is also linked to a tragedy. In 2020, in the Aosta Valley, while he was returning from a high-altitude ski trip, his helicopter crashed. He ended up in intensive care in Bern, Switzerland, where he miraculously survived.
The passenger accompanying him, Alfredo Buda, 59, manager of Iro SpA, also from Odolo in the province of Brescia, lost his life in the accident. An expert report ordered by the investigating judge in the Aosta Prosecutor's Office investigation determined that on that day, October 25, 2020, the essential safety conditions for flying were lacking, primarily adequate visibility.
