Italian police and coastguard on trial over deadly migrant shipwreck
Six members of Italy’s police and coastguard are facing trial over a shipwreck that killed at least 94 migrants. The tragedy occurred off the coast of Cutro and was Italy’s worst migrant disaster in a decade. The officers are accused of failing to intervene in time, with prosecutors citing negligence in the search-and-rescue response. The incident has sparked criticism of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her government’s approach to migration.
What we know
- Four officers from Italy’s Guardia di Finanza and two coastguard members are accused of involuntary manslaughter and “culpable shipwreck.”
- The migrant boat, carrying people from Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, and Syria, crashed on the rocks off Cutro on February 26, 2023.
- Thirty-five children were among the victims, and around 80 people survived the disaster.
- Prosecutors allege the officers failed to communicate urgent information and did not launch a timely rescue, despite the vessel being tracked for hours.
- Charity groups and human rights organizations argue the tragedy highlights the Italian government’s focus on law enforcement over humanitarian rescue.
