A young couple who had been married for just three months and were expecting their first child have died after their fishing boat collided with a water taxi in Venice, Italy.

Sean Michieli, 25, and his pregnant wife, Gabriella Querino, 26, were traveling through the Venice lagoon early Sept. 12 when their small boat collided with a water taxi near the island of Tessera. The impact threw the newlyweds into the water and sank their boat.

The couple had reportedly gone out that morning to collect bait for Michieli’s work as a clam fisherman.

Michieli was pulled from the lagoon with severe head and facial injuries, along with other injuries across his body. He was rushed to Venice-Mestre Hospital, where he underwent surgery and was admitted to intensive care. He was declared brain-dead the following day.

Querino remained missing as authorities launched an extensive search involving divers, a helicopter and jet skis. Murky water, strong currents and high tides complicated the effort. Her body was recovered from the lagoon several days later.

The tragedy came just as the couple was beginning a new chapter together.

Michieli and Querino married June 8 and were expecting their first child. Querino, originally from Ribeirão Preto, Brazil, had moved to Italy about two years earlier and developed a passion for fishing alongside her husband. She was reportedly working to obtain the necessary license so she could join him in the fishing industry.

Her mother, Gisele Elorriaga, said her daughter had been happy with the life she was creating in Italy.

“She was building a life for herself over there, and she was happy,” Elorriaga said, according to Jam Press.

While the search for Querino was still underway, Elorriaga spoke about the anguish of waiting for news about her daughter.

“I just want my daughter back alive, nothing else,” she told Brazilian outlet Globo.

Elorriaga said the couple was familiar with the lagoon and regularly traveled through the area.

“They knew the area,” she said. “They would cross back and forth.”

Following the recovery of Querino’s body, officials offered condolences to the couple’s loved ones. Luca Zaia, president of the Veneto region, called the deaths “an immense tragedy for a family that was just beginning to build their future.”

Authorities are still working to determine what caused the collision. The water taxi driver is reportedly under investigation for nautical homicide as officials seek to establish the circumstances surrounding the crash. No determination of responsibility has been announced.

For those who loved Sean and Gabriella, the tragedy represents more than the loss of two young lives. Their marriage was only beginning, their first child was on the way, and they were making plans for a future they expected to build together.

Heavenly Father, please draw near to Sean and Gabriella’s families as they grieve this heartbreaking loss. Surround them with Your comfort and strength, carry them through the difficult days ahead, and give them peace when the weight of their sorrow feels overwhelming. Remind them that You are close to the brokenhearted and present even in life’s deepest pain. Amen.