Lufthansa CEO’s Wife Probed After Sardinia SUV Crash Kills 24-Year-Old
Here’s the brutal reality of a serene vacation spot turned crime scene. Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr’s wife, Vivian Spohr, is now at the center of a harrowing investigation in Italy after her SUV struck and killed 24-year-old pedestrian Gaia Costa in Porto Cervo. According to local reports, the incident unfolded on a Tuesday evening when Costa stepped onto a marked crosswalk and reportedly tried to catch Spohr’s attention by waving her hand before the vehicle plowed into her. Costa suffered fatal head injuries and died shortly after being rushed to the hospital.
Vivian Spohr, who had been staying at the family’s Sardinian vacation home at the time of the crash, immediately fled to Germany in the hours following the accident. Italian authorities have issued a request for her formal questioning, and her personal lawyer issued a statement on Friday confirming that she feels “dismay and deep sorrow for this grave accident” and is “at the complete disposal” of investigators. Early toxicology tests returned negative for both alcohol and drugs, clearing Spohr of any allegations of impairment behind the wheel.
Witness statements and Italian media coverage indicate that Spohr’s young daughter was seated in the SUV when the accident occurred. Sources say the mother fainted at the scene upon realizing the severity of what had happened. Prosecutors in Sardinia have launched a manslaughter inquiry under Italian road safety laws, which carry penalties of up to 12 years in prison if negligence is proven.
Carsten Spohr, who has led Lufthansa since 2014 and overseen global expansion efforts for Germany’s flag carrier, has not publicly commented on the investigation. Industry insiders say the airline’s executive team is monitoring the situation closely, aware that high-profile legal proceedings could spark reputational fallout. Observers note that the case reignites debate over pedestrian safety in busy tourist hotspots across Europe.
International reaction has been swift, with social media users and travel bloggers expressing shock that an influential figure’s family should be embroiled in such a fatal event. Advocacy groups for traffic safety have seized on Costa’s death to call for stricter enforcement of crosswalk regulations, while legal experts caution that Italian courts move slowly when high-net-worth individuals are involved.
As investigators review CCTV footage, witness interviews, and forensic evidence, one question looms: will this tragedy end with a plea deal or a full trial? That answer may not arrive for months, but for now Sardinia’s sun-soaked streets are marked by a grim reminder of a life cut tragically short. Time will tell whether this case becomes a catalyst for reform or a chapter in a long-running saga of privilege and accountability.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and TMZ, Italian media reports
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
