For the first time the Sybarite Municipality, on the proposal of the Mayor Giovanni Papassoremembered the 12 fishermen who lost their lives on 31 December 1974, exactly fifty years ago, on the Ionian coast between Sibari and Schiavonea.
Francesco, Rocco, Nicola, Carlo, Angelo and Cosimo all belonging to the Celi family and Stefano, Luciano, Salvatore, Antonio, Marino and Giuseppe from the Curatolo family, all from Schiavonea, they had gone to sea on December 30th with the hope of having a good fishing trip which they hoped to resell for the New Year’s Eve dinners in preparation. The fishing boats, Nuova Sant’Angelo and Maria Santissima, had set sail expecting to return the following day. The weather was good and didn’t suggest any kind of inconvenience. At dawn on the 31st, while the two fishing boats were returning, the sea had risen due to the wind that had increased during the night. A sea wave, which had reached force 9, overturned the Nuovo Sant’Angelo, throwing its crew into the water and shattering and swallowing the vessel itself. However, all trace was initially lost of Maria Santissima, who was headed towards Policoro, and of her men. The only survivor of the tragedy was Cosimo Marghella, nephew of the Curatolos, who was on board a lifeboat.
The twelve fishermen were swallowed up by the fury of the sea and lost their lives. The remains of the Maria Santissima, which carried on board the fishermen of the Curatolo family, ended up on the beaches between the shores of the Sibari Lakes and, for this reason, for the first time in history, the Municipal Administration led by Mayor Papasso, he decided to remember the members who perished in that tragedy he spoke about and which moved the whole of Italy.
Many authorities were present at this morning’s ceremony: in addition to the mayor Giovanni Papasso and the entire Cassano municipal administration, the mayor of Corigliano-Rossano was present Flavio Stasi, the bishop of Cassano and vice-president of the CEI Monsignor Francesco Savino, the regional councilor Pasqualina Straface, Rosa Silvana Abate, gYes Senator of the Republic and representative of the Hands off the port committee, Rocco Botta manager of the Castrovillari Police Station, the Frigate Commander of the Compamare of Corigliano-Rossano, Captain Francesco Esposito, Lieutenant Pasquale Attruia, Commander of the Operational Unit of the Guardia di Finanza Group of Sibari, iMarshal Schena Commander of the Carabinieri station of Cassano center, the local police of Cassano col deputy commander Marcello Papasso, Michele Alimena and the supervision of AssoLaghi, Don Pietro Groccia parish priest of Sibari. Also present Veronica Petrosino member of the municipality in the Sibari Lakes Association, Jimmy Fusaropresident of the Naval League of Mirto Crosia e Aldo Lyon, president of the Naval League of Sibari as well as, above all, the many family members, colleagues and friends of the two families who experienced the tragedy first hand at the time.
«I was contacted by some members of the Curatolo family – explained the mayor of Cassano Giovanni Papasso – discovering that the Curatolo family’s boat was found right here. We immediately made ourselves available to restore full memory of this episode because it is also part of the history of Sibari. The message that leaves the beaches of Sibari today is to remember all the victims of the sea, the victims of the Curatolo and Celi families, but more generally all the victims of work at sea and those who leave and cross the sea in search of a Promised land they will never find.”
Mayor Stasi, however, underlined the importance of remembering not only the family tragedy, but also the work and community tragedy. «It is enough to talk to the citizens of Schiavonea to understand what that December 31st represented for an entire community. A wound that for a long time was taboo because talking about it meant bringing back an extremely painful memory. In recent years it has also been the institutions that have given the right dignity to the memory of that day, an institutional tragedy, because if there had been a port of refuge that event would never have happened.”
«It is a sad day – Regional Councilor Pasqualina Straface remarked in an emotional voice and also recalled how Senator Abate had presented a shared bill to remember those who died from work at sea – but of great significance for the whole community and the Schiavonea navy, one of the largest and most important in Southern Italy, which wants to honor its fishermen.”
Final reflection entrusted to the prayer of Bishop Savino who accompanied the deposition and blessing of a commemorative plaque in the place of discovery desired by the Cassano administration so that, after fifty years, that place is no longer anonymous and is a symbol of historical memory. A beautiful moment that united family members, mayors, civil and military authorities who huddled together in a silence full of solemnity and respect for those who died while they were at work and looking for sustenance.