Lago Maggiore
Lago MaggioreIstock

Deadly Italy shipwreck: The Italian Corriere Della Sera news website hypothesizes that the Israeli and Italian intelligence agents met to spy on a Russian money transfer to Iran.

The website states that "Russian figures" have recently transferred their investments from Lake Como to luxury hotels on Lake Maggiore, where the shipwreck occurred.

MK Ram Ben-Barak (Yesh Atid), who in the past served as Vice Mossad Chief, told Reshet Bet about the Massad agent who was killed in the wreck. "He was not there for a birthday party or vacation. It wasn't an operation, but it was connected to his work."

As previously reported, an Israeli Mossad agent Erez Shimoni was killed when the boat he was on with Italian intelligence agents capsized in Lago Maggiore in Italy. Four people were killed in the incident, which Italian media are calling "The 007,": a nod to the fictional spy James Bond, including two local agents and the wife of the boat's captain.

Immediately following the incident, Israel and Italy covered their tracks: the injured were quickly removed from the hospitals and hotel rooms so their details would not be discovered. Israel sent a special airplane that landed in Milan and reportedly returned ten Israeli agents to Israel.

Erez Shimoni was laid to rest on Wednesday at the Ashkelon military cemetery. On Monday night, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the person killed on the ship was a retired Israeli security service employee.

"Due to his service in the agency, no further details are available," the Mossad wrote in a statement, adding that "the Mossad has lost a dear, dedicated and professional colleague who, for decades, devoted his life to the security of the State of Israel, even after his retirement.