One of the largest aquatic parks in the South has ended up under seizure. The seals on the Etnaland structure, in Belpasso, were triggered following an investigation coordinated by the Catania Prosecutor’s Office, led by the prosecutor Francesco Curcio. The Catania Coast Guard documented a structured system of illicit waste disposal: the garbage produced by the park was collected, transported to adjacent land, burned at night and buried in specially dug holes.
Everything starts in August 2022, the peak period for the park. During an overflight with a helicopter for environmental remote sensing, Coast Guard operators noticed large excavations containing various types of waste from above. From that moment on, a constant video surveillance activity began which documented the consolidated routine: every afternoon the park’s employees collected the waste, separated only to a minimal extent, and transported it to the nearby lands, under the supervision of the entrepreneur Francesco Andrea Russello, president of the board of directors of Etnaland. The burning and burial at night continued for a long time, with consequent environmental damage that was still being quantified.
Lack of purifiers and expired permits
The in-depth investigations revealed further critical issues: the park did not have adequate purification plants or updated authorizations. The only documentation in the company’s possession was a discharge authorization issued by the Municipality of Belpasso, which expired in 2019 and was never renewed despite the numerous expansions of the structure.
The judge for preliminary investigations issued a preventive seizure decree on 23 January 2026 for the entire area, with stringent requirements aimed at sanitizing the environmental deficiencies found. The Port Authority of Catania was delegated to carry out the checks, coordinating the staff to verify compliance with the regulations and prevent further damage.
A 280 thousand square meter park
Etnaland extends over 280 thousand square meters and includes the AquaPark, the mechanical ThemePark and the Prehistory Park, attractions that attract tens of thousands of visitors every year. Inaugurated in 2001 as a water park, the project was inspired by the “La Pergola” farm, transformed in the 1980s into a nature park with animals from failed circuses. In the following years, Francesco Russello invested millions of euros to expand the recreational offer, introducing mechanical attractions, high-intensity waterslides and educational thematic areas, until the creation of the ThemePark in 2013 and the “I Sogni di Ciclopino” area and the Smurfs’ Village in 2024.
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In addition to being one of the most important tourist centers in eastern Sicily, Etnaland represents an emblematic case of inadequate environmental management within large recreational facilities. The criminal proceedings involve Francesco Andrea Russello and the company Etnaland srl, with accusations of unauthorized waste management, illicit combustion, organized activity for the illicit trafficking of waste and environmental pollution. The seizure aims to restore legality and protect a heavily anthropized but environmentally vulnerable territory.
