The sign of research and rescue organizations at sea was constituted yesterday, thus formally entering the criminal trial on the shipwreck of Cutro. In fact, on the deed, the requests for expulsion presented by the defense lawyers were not accepted. The procedure aims to obtain truth and justice for the chain of events, decisions and omissions that led to one of the most tragic shipwrecks of Italian history: that which occurred off the past of Cutro in the night between 25 and 26 February 2023, when a boat is sunk causing the death of at least 94 people and an unknown number of missing. Of all the people who were on board only in 80 survived. In the trial they are accused of a culpable shipwreck and a manslaughter multiple six officers of the Coast Guard and the Guardia di Finanza.
The Coalition of the NGOs comments: «For the success of the rescue operations we know that the times are fundamental. Similarly, the delays in launching these interventions are not an accident, but a more or less calculated negligence. In this case, the Italian authorities have ignored their duty of rescue but this very serious omission that has had dramatic consequences cannot remain unpunished. It should no longer be allowed that the managers, including the highest decision -making levels, remain unscathed while people continue to drown at sea ».
The organizations will be active in the Mediterranean have widely documented how delays in the start of rescue operations have led to many avoidable massacres. Therefore, “the judgment cannot stop for lower degree officials and every decision, even those of the higher authorities, must be taken into consideration by going up the chain of command”.
Emergency, Louise Michel, Mediterranea Saving Humans, Sea-Watch, Sos Humanity and Sos Mediterranee They intend to “support the families of the victims in the process by supporting their request for justice”. NGOs ask to “immediately put an end to the criminalization of in motion people and to restore effective research and rescue operations at sea, hopefully also with a dedicated European mission. The commitment to support international maritime law and the protection of the right to life must be the basis of all political decisions “