Search underway for missing young woman near Montalcino

A large search operation is underway near Montalcino, the Tuscan hilltop town world-famous for its Brunello wine, after 20-year-old Viktoria Peroni disappeared on Monday afternoon.

According to local authorities, Viktoria — born in Russia and now a resident of Montalcino — reportedly left home voluntarily around lunchtime and never returned. Her parents reported her missing, prompting the Prefecture of Siena to activate the official provincial search and rescue plan for missing persons.

Search efforts are concentrated in a wooded area on the outskirts of the town, where the terrain is steep and difficult to navigate. The operation involves firefighters, including teams specialized in topography applied to rescue (TAS), as well as Carabinieri, municipal police, and around 40 volunteers from local civil protection groups.

Rescue dogs, an aerial unit, and infrared drones are being used to monitor the area even after dark. Local hunting teams, familiar with the roughest parts of the surrounding countryside, have also joined the search to help cover ground that is otherwise hard to access.

The municipality of Montalcino shared details about the young woman’s appearance, urging anyone with information to contact the authorities. Viktoria is 170 cm tall, with shoulder-length light brown hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing gray trousers, a short black jacket with a hood, black sneakers with white soles, and a beige backpack.

Montalcino, located about 40 kilometers south of Siena in the scenic Val d’Orcia, is surrounded by forests, olive groves, and vineyards — a landscape both stunning and challenging for rescue teams working through the night.

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