Preventable Drownings in Italy: A Damning New Investigation

Investigation Reveals Failures of Frontex and Italian Authorities in Steccato di Cutro Shipwreck

A recent investigation by Lighthouse Reports has shed new light on the tragic events that led to the February shipwreck of Steccato di Cutro, Italy. The shipwreck claimed the lives of at least 94 people, mostly from Afghanistan, despite EU Border Agency Frontex and Italian authorities being aware they were in danger. The investigation provides damning evidence of the failures of Frontex and Italian authorities to carry out their obligations to ensure the safety of refugees and migrants.

Responsibilities and Accountability

Eve Geddie, Director of Amnesty International’s European Institutions Office, stated that Frontex and Italian authorities should be transparent about what went wrong and ensure that lessons are learned and there is accountability for any wrongdoing. The women, men, and children who lost their lives that day, and their loved ones, deserve to know the truth and see justice done. As Geddie highlighted, Frontex and Italian authorities owe that to them.

Shirking Responsibilities

The investigation by Lighthouse Reports provides new details about the information that was available to Frontex and the Italian authorities several hours before the shipwreck, including the bad weather conditions and the likely presence of refugees and migrants below deck. International law imposes obligations on states to ensure the rescue of persons in distress at sea near their coasts. However, Frontex and Italian authorities failed to act, resulting in a preventable tragedy. Amnesty International has previously flagged shortcomings and open questions in relation to the authorities’ response to the incident and made recommendations for urgent review of search and rescue procedures and visa policies.

Externalization of Responsibility

Most of the people aboard the ‘Summer Love’ boat that shipwrecked were from Afghanistan. As Geddie pointed out, while European politicians have been vocal about the horrors inflicted by the Taliban since they took power, they have failed to provide enough safe and regular routes for Afghan people, which forces them to make perilous journeys in search of safety. The EU’s externalization of responsibility for refugees to third countries must give way to policies that focus on rescuing lives at sea and increasing opportunities for safe and regular mobility. Refugee and migrant lives should not be put at risk due to the lack of safe and legal routes to seek asylum.

Lessons and Accountability

It is crucial that Frontex and Italian authorities learn from their failures and take concrete steps to prevent such tragedies from happening again in the future. Moreover, they need to be held accountable for their inaction in Steccato di Cutro. The lack of transparency and refusal to acknowledge any responsibility by Italian authorities and Frontex is unacceptable. The EU and its member states have a moral and legal obligation to protect the human rights of refugees and migrants and ensure their safety and security.

Keywords:

• Drowning
• Italy
• Investigation
• Preventable
• Safety
• Water
• Swimming
• Accidents

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