Three friends hug in ‘final embrace’ before being swept away by flash floods

Three friends were seen hugging each other just seconds before they were swept away by flash floods in Italy.

Footage shows Patrizia Cormos, 20, her friend Bianca Doros, 23, and her boyfriend Cristian Molnar, 25, standing in the fast flowing river along the Natisone River in Friuli.

But the water levels began to surge after days of heavy rain, leaving the group stranded on a tiny pebble island.

They were left clutching at each other trying to not get swept away, with the chief of the firefighters throwing them a rope.

Sadly the trio were ‘swallowed up by the flood waters’ and firefighters watched them ‘disappear’.

Two bodies, believes to be Ms Cormos and Ms Doros, were discovered 1km from where they were seen clutching at each other.

Rescuers are still searching for Mr Molnar.

The friends had driven to Premariacco Beach near Udine and walked down to the river. 

Patrizia Cormos, Cristian Molnar and Bianca Doros were filmed holding onto each other before being swept away

Ms Doras and Mr Molnar, both Romanian, were visiting family in Italy.

Ms Cormas had asked her mother to go on the trip after finishing her exams at the Academy of Fine Arts in Udine.

One firefighter shouted to the group from a nearby bridge: ‘Stay together, gather together, hug each other.’ 

He can then be heard saying: ‘Oh no – oh my god.’

A handbag containing the mobile phone which made the emergency SOS call was found.

Mayor Michele De Sebata expressed his condolences for the trio who were trapped in an ‘unpredictable situation’.

He said the ‘three kids arrived when it was sunny, they couldn’t have known what was about to happen’.

He explained the river can change quickly and ‘it only took minutes’ for the tragedy to unfold.

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