Relatives of the victims of the shipwreck off the coast of Crotone, in the Calabria region of southern Italy, are planning a class action lawsuit against the authorities.
In the background are allegations that the operation to rescue the refugees was started too late. At least 71 people died in the February 26 crash, including 16 children. According to the newspaper “La Stampa” (Monday edition), several family members of refugees turned to lawyers to bring the collective action.
investigations are ongoing
The Italian judiciary is investigating why rescue services took so long to reach the refugee boat from Turkey with around 180 people on board. The boat had already been located on February 25 by officials from the European border protection agency Frontex. Two patrol boats sent by the Italian authorities had to turn back because of bad weather.
The Coast Guard did not leave the boat until the next day after an emergency call. On arrival, the overloaded wooden boat, which had crashed into the rocks near Crotone in rough seas, had already sunk. Crotone prosecutors have launched an investigation into the rescue operation.
Meloni denies responsibility
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni denies any responsibility for her government for the devastating boat accident. “The situation is as simple as it is tragic: we have not received any emergency signals from the European border and coast guard Frontex,” Meloni said on Saturday during a visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Last week, the opposition demanded the resignation of Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi.