'Rigopiano director said everything OK'

(ANSA) - Pescara, January 23 - Investigators in Pescara probing last Wednesday's Rigopiano Hotel disaster said on Monday that a prefecture official in the Abruzzo city called the hotel director about one hour after the four-star resort was hit by an avalanche and was told that everything was OK.
    The prefecture official called the director, Bruno Di Tommaso, who was also in Pescara and not in the Farindola mountain resort, after chef Giampiero Parete called when the avalanche struck, begging for rescue teams to intervene because his wife and children were trapped inside along with the other hotel guests. Parete, who was staying at the hotel, had walked out to get his wife a medicine from the car when the avalanche struck.
    According to investigators, Parete's call could have been underestimated and initially ignored, along with other phone calls, because Di Tommaso said at the time he had not heard about the incident.
    Pescara prosecutors and police met on Monday to discuss the investigation on possible disaster and multiple manslaughter charges.
    Rescue teams were continuing to work around the clock on Monday to look for possible survivors and bodies.
    Twenty-three people are still missing.
    Eleven people survived the disaster, including nine who were rescued under the snow and debris, and six have been found dead.