(Daily Mail, UK) Italian navy officers face prosecution over the drowning of 300 migrants after they failed to respond promptly to SOS calls

From: Biniam Tekle <biniamt_at_dehai.org_at_dehai.org>
Date: Mon, 24 Oct 2016 13:33:53 -0400

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-3866576/Italian-navy-officers-face-prosecution-drowning-300-migrants-failed-respond-promptly-SOS-calls.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

Italian navy officers face prosecution over the drowning of 300
migrants after they failed to respond promptly to SOS calls

The tragedy occurred on October 11, 2013, around 60 miles from Italy
Italian coastguard was called but responsibility for rescue given to Malta
Rescue boats took almost six hours to arrive on the scene
Catia Pellegrino, who has a medal of honour, is one who is under suspicion

By Ted Thornhill for MailOnline

Published: 04:49 EST, 24 October 2016 | Updated: 11:47 EST, 24 October 2016


Several Italian naval officers are being investigated by prosecutors
for culpable homicide as a result of their alleged failure to rescue
migrants from a sinking fishing boat – an incident in which around 300
people lost their lives, including over 100 children.

Lieutenant Catia Pellegrino, the commander of the patrol vessel Libra,
who has a presidential medal of honour for rescues she’s co-ordinated,
is one of those suspected of mishandling the SOS situation.

The tragedy, which occurred in the Mediterranean on October 11, 2013,
appears to be the result of confusion over who should come to the aid
of the boat between the Italian and Maltese authorities, it’s been
reported.

The Italian navy has faster vessels, but it was Malta who was handed
responsibility for coming to the boat’s aid.

The fishing boat, which came from Syria and was carrying 480 people,
sank about 60 miles (100km) south of the Italian island of Lampedusa,
which is around 135 miles from Malta. However, search and rescue
responsibilities fall to Malta in these waters.

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A survivor of the incident, Aleppo doctor Mohanad Jammo, said he
called the Italian coastguard at 11am.

Nothing happened, he told Italian magazine L’Espresso, The Times
reported, so he called the coastguard again at 1pm but alleged that
the person that answered the phone gave him a number for the Maltese
authorities then hung up.

A Maltese rescue boat didn’t arrive until 5.51pm. At this point most
of the children were dead.

Pellegrino’s Libra arrived on the scene shortly afterwards.

A spokesman for the Italian navy told The Times: ‘Anything is possible
but a procedural error seems unlikely to me. These are certainly
moments of anguish and worry for the officers placed under
investigation and their families.'

Speaking at the time, Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said: ‘This
is not just another wake-up call for Europe. This is the time for
action. This is a European problem, not a problem for Italy or Malta
only.’

MailOnline has asked the Italian Navy for a comment.

On Sunday Italian officials said that 14 bodies had been recovered in
a two-day period on smugglers' boats packed with migrants making the
perilous journey across the Mediterranean.

Thousands of migrants have risked their lives crossing the
Mediterranean sea. Pictured are migrants from Eritrea jumping into the
water on August 29, 2016, from a crowded wooden boat near Libya as
they are helped by an NGO


The Italian Coast Guard says the dead included a 25-year-old pregnant
woman. In all 5,700 migrants were rescued from dozens of small boats
and rubber dinghies between Friday and Saturday.

Premier Matteo Renzi appealed to his European partners to come up with
a fundamental solution to the migrant issue during a visit to Sicily
on Saturday, saying "we cannot go on this way." He called for
financial penalties for eastern European countries that refuse to take
in migrants.

The International Organization for Migrants says at least 3,650
migrants have died crossing the Mediterranean this year.
Received on Mon Oct 24 2016 - 13:34:32 EDT

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