A YOUNG man who disappeared from his home in Palermo, Sicily six years ago has been found in the Madrid satellite town of Torrejón de Ardoz.
The 26-year-old – who was 20 when he vanished in 2011 – was found wandering the streets barefooted, completely dishevelled and apparently unable to speak.
Police took him in to try to identify him and to ensure he received medical assistance.
They were only able to communicate with him through gestures, but were unable to ascertain who he was.
Extensive checks with missing persons associations proved fruitless.
Long-winded talks with Interpol and Europol, however, flagged up a youth named Marcello Volpe who had gone missing on the Italian island on July 12, 2011, who who partly fitted his description.
Spanish police rang his mother and arranged to send her photos of the man whom they had taken in.
She instantly recognised him from the pictures, despite his appearance, and a scar on his right wrist gave him away.
Marcello's family had long believed he was dead, and held a memorial service for him in July five years ago on the anniversary of his disappearance
His family are now about to fly to Madrid to meet him again.
Meanwhile, he has been taken to hospital for a full check-up.
