Lufthansa CEO's Wife, Vivian Spohr, Kills 24-Year-Old Babysitter in a 'Very Serious Accident'

A vacation town in Italy became the scene of tragedy when a luxury vehicle fatally struck a young woman at a crosswalk in broad daylight.

A deadly collision in Porto Cervo, Sardinia, has left 24-year-old Gaia Costa dead and drawn intense scrutiny after it was revealed that the driver was Vivian Alexandra Spohr, wife of Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr. Gaia, a seasonal babysitter, was struck by Vivian's BMW SUV while using a pedestrian crosswalk, sparking grief in her hometown and anger online.

On July 8, 2025, at around 1:30 p.m., Gaia started to cross the road, following all the rules, when she saw a car approaching her. The babysitter raised an arm to warn the driver to hit the brakes, but it didn't work.

The impact of the car made her fall and hit her head. Paramedics arrived at the scene and tended to the young woman while she was still alive. Unfortunately, the injuries to her brain were too severe, and she didn't survive.

According to a witness, Vivian, 51, continued driving a few more meters before stopping her car and exiting. Upon seeing what had happened, she covered her face in despair and slumped on the road.

She is currently under investigation for vehicular manslaughter, but tests have already proven that she wasn't under the influence of alcohol or illegal substances.

Additionally, the Carabinieri, a branch of the Italian Armed Forces, has already obtained video footage of the incident from the surrounding CCTV.

They are reviewing all the clips and gathering witness statements under the supervision of the Tempio Pausania Prosecutor's Office. Through her Sardinian lawyers, Vivian has expressed "dismay and deep regret for this very serious accident."

Furthermore, a statement from her attorney, Angelo Merlini, said that this incident "has devastated a family, the city of Tempio, and the entire Gallura community," and that Vivian "has placed herself at the complete disposal of the judicial authorities for the necessary investigations and, while aware that such a great personal loss cannot be remedied, she will take steps to mitigate its consequences."

However, it was reported that the CEO's wife had already traveled to Germany as of July 10, as she had no mandate to stay in Italy while the investigation continues. This sparked immediate backlash online, with people commenting, "She could have stayed," and "A departure that feels like an escape."

Her lawyers have refuted these claims, stating their client is fully cooperating and assuming responsibility for her actions.

Now, Gaia's family is left mourning. Her father is Alfredo Costa, a CISL union representative, and her mother's name is Debora Cafiero. Her brother, Roberto Costa, is a boatyard technician who asked for privacy through his lawyer, Antonello Desini, as the family processes this tragedy.

One of Gaia's friends is also grieving. On July 15, Carlo Marras took to his Instagram, which he uses to promote his photography, to honor her.

He wrote, "Ciao Gaia, There are things that I cannot express with simple words, that's why I speak with my pictures. These photos are my way of saying you'll always be there. I will never forget you."

Meanwhile, Gaia's own social media account, with over 2,000 followers, remains public and shows many photos of her travels and experiences. Her bio has the words "Costina" and "Sardegna 🌞," along with a link to her personal TikTok.

Sadly, another young woman lost her life in a tourist spot a month earlier. As previously reported, Juliana Alves Prado Pereira, a 27-year-old psychologist from Pouso Alegre, Minas Gerais, died when the hot air balloon she was riding in crashed on Sunday, June 15, 2025, in Capela do Alto, São Paulo.

She was with her husband, Leandro de Aquino Pereira, celebrating their first Valentine's Day as a married couple. They had recently tied the knot, according to Leandro's family.

The accident occurred around 8 a.m. in the rural Distrito do Porto neighborhood, near the Vereador Geraldo Portela municipal road. The balloon had departed earlier from Boituva, a known hub for recreational ballooning in São Paulo state. It was carrying 33 passengers, along with the pilot, Fabio Salvador Pereira, and an assistant.

According to the Military Police, the balloon made two hard impacts with the ground before coming to a full stop. Witnesses reported that during these impacts, four passengers were thrown from the basket.

Eleven others sustained minor injuries and were taken to emergency rooms in Capela do Alto and the Sorocaba Hospital Complex (CHS). A video shared on Instagram shortly after the incident showed the balloon flying unusually low before the crash.

Pilot Fabio was arrested at the scene. He was charged with aggravated involuntary manslaughter and unauthorized operation of a balloon. Authorities confirmed that his license was valid only for private flights and that his documentation was irregular.

In his testimony, Fabio said he had tried to land the balloon in several open areas as per standard procedures. He claimed a strong and unexpected gust of wind disrupted the descent and that some passengers jumped before the balloon fully touched down.

Gabrielle Rosa do Nascimento, a 27-year-old university student, and her fiancé, Tiago Ribeiro Kempinas, a 37-year-old engineer, were also on board. The couple had traveled seven hours overnight from Marechal Hermes in Rio de Janeiro to Boituva for what was meant to be a surprise engagement.

Gabrielle shared with a local news outlet that the conditions in Boituva were concerning. "Since it was very windy in Boituva, I asked a woman — who I believe was the company's receptionist — if we were still going to fly. She said yes," she recounted.

Gabrielle added that they were taken to a site later identified as unlicensed, where two balloons were being prepared for flight.

The woman also described how panic spread among the passengers once the balloon was airborne. She recalled that Juliana was already visibly injured and unresponsive by the time of the second descent attempt.

"Her husband was trying to keep her alive. By that point, the pilot was also injured. We hovered for about 15 more minutes until he spotted a field, where we crashed and were dragged along," Gabrielle shared.

Once the balloon hit the ground for the second time, many passengers jumped from the basket to escape. Gabrielle and Tiago were among the injured. She added, "What was supposed to be a happy day, an engagement, turned into a nightmare for life."

Leandro's family, speaking after the crash, expressed sorrow and raised concerns about the safety of the flight.

They also remembered Juliana as someone kind and loving. "She was a very, very loved person. I can't believe Ju is gone. I still can't believe it, honestly. A trip like that took her away," revealed Maria Ivone Aquino, Leandro's grandmother.

Jéssica Aquino Pereira, Leandro’s aunt, criticized the decision to allow the balloon to take off. "She really wanted to go on that ride. But seriously, how can they put 33 people inside a balloon in weather like this? The weather was terrible today, very windy — it's total negligence on the part of the people who put them in there."

Authorities have launched a full investigation into the cause of the crash. Forensic teams and officials from the Regional Aeronautical Accident Investigation and Prevention Service (Seripa) were dispatched to the crash site. As of now, no official determination has been made regarding what exactly led to the incident.