You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors The anniversary of the shipwreck in Crotone on 26 February was marked by relatives and supporters of at least 94 people who died on the morning of that same day in 2023 and elsewhere in Italy: the names of the dead were read at public events and survivors gave their testimonies.Three months later it will also be the first anniversary of the Pylos shipwreck in which at least 500 people lost their lives and similar events will mark that anniversary Support our work: become a Friend of Statewatch from as little as £1/€1 per month Giuseppe Murabito: The Sound of Silence - Relitto della Maddalena Lofaro o Rigoletto, CC BY-SA 2.0 In the year after the Crotone shipwreck and several months since Pylos there have been a number of developments of which it is necessary to take stock These are far from the only migrant shipwrecks that occurred at that time The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that in 2023 the number of fatalities in the Mediterranean reached 3,129 with an additional 537 fatalities on the West Africa Atlantic route to the Canary islands [2] What is nevertheless striking about the Crotone and Pylos cases is how they illuminate the deadly nature of the EU’s border policies blame for the shipwrecks has been assigned to survivors who allegedly piloted the vessels and who are now facing prosecution it is also apparent that both Greece and Italy failed to uphold their search and rescue (SAR) duties despite Frontex bearing “coast guard” in its current name the European Ombudsman’s inquiry highlights that it is a misnomer as it does not have powers to fulfill that role without national authorities’ assistance [4] While this partly shifts blame away from the agency it fails to mitigate concern over its strategic endeavors and their effects to date Both cases echo earlier ones (in particular [5] and show that it is the EU’s policies of deterrence and deflection that are ultimately at fault was convicted and sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment in Crotone (Calabria while three other suspects are on trial facing the same charges of causing a shipwreck facilitating illegal migration and causing death as an outcome of other criminal offences [6] Similar dynamics seem to be at play in the Pylos case where nine Egyptian survivors of the shipwreck (the “Pylos 9”) are under investigation and face charges of causing the shipwreck facilitating unauthorised entry and membership of a criminal organisation The Legal Centre Lesvos is representing two of the nine defendants: we demand that the 9 accused of the Pylos shipwreck be immediately released and provided with appropriate psycho-social support as survivors of a deadly shipwreck Charges against them should be dropped and an independent investigation should be carried out to investigate the circumstances of the shipwreck and determine the responsibilities and involvement of the Greek authorities and Frontex in the capsizing of the Adriana in light of their obligations to rescue and protect the lives of those on board.” [7] In the background were concerns about why two EU member states (Italy and Greece) and their respective coast guards had failed to conduct SAR missions that may have prevented loss of life - despite receiving timely information aerial photographs and footage about the imperiled vessels from Frontex aerial surveillance aircraft and Frontex stressed that it provided adequate information to national authorities to prevent the shipwrecks whereas national authorities replied that the information received did not amount to a “mayday” call to prompt them into immediate action since the downscaling of EU SAR presence at sea in the central Mediterranean after 2015 efforts have been made both to subordinate rescue duties and a duty of care for vulnerable subjects to the policing of “irregular” migration investigations and post-disembarkation interviews [9] Authorities have also sought to limit the reasons for which cases should automatically be considered as needing SAR interventions (see below) concluded her inquiry into the Pylos shipwreck in which over 600 people died on 27 February 2023 calling for “changes to EU search and rescue rules and a public inquiry into deaths in the Mediterranean.” [10] Key issues raised in her report include the Greek coast guard’s failure to promptly initiate a rescue mission and Greek authorities’ refusal of offers of assistance from Frontex preventing scrutiny of what was happening from above: “Frontex made four separate offers to assist the Greek authorities by providing aerial surveillance of the Adriana but received no response The current rules mean that Frontex was not permitted to go to the Adriana’s location at critical periods without the Greek authorities’ permission.” The report is peppered with damning statements that may surprise people who have not paid close attention to developments in the immigration policy field O’Reilly noted that Frontex “should consider whether the threshold has been reached to allow it to formally end its activities with the Member State in question,” calls for which it has resisted to date She also highlighted that the agency’s mandate does not match its name due to its reliance on national authorities This would appear to be a call for the legislators to enhance Frontex’s SAR and coast guard role and capabilities and the timing is noteworthy: the European Commission recently-published its first evaluation of Frontex’s 2019 Regulation which was later examined by the Justice and Home Affairs Council O’Reilly also highlighted the “obvious tension between Frontex’s fundamental rights obligations and its duty to support Member States in border management control.” This root problem is not unrelated to the ideological role played by Frontex to date in consistently pushing for tough border control measures as if they were of existential importance its risk analysis assessment that SAR operations may amount to a “pull factor” was key to downscaling and retreating the presence of EU rescue vessels in the Mediterranean the tension between formal and operative levels was revealed by a choice to disregard human rights conditions in a third country like Libya that the EU formally acknowledges as being unsafe for migrants whilst enhancing its rescue capabilities and contributing to establishing a Lybian SAR zone a policy choice to make sea crossings more dangerous to undermine the traffickers’ business model was made under the 2015 Agenda on Migration (including in the 2015 EU Action Plan against migrant smuggling quoted below) and later served as a reference for Italy’s efforts to criminalise civilian SAR operations: ““The Agenda set the goal to transform migrant smuggling networks from ‘low risk The Cutro and Pylos shipwrecks occurred despite advanced knowledge of the situation from a combination of Frontex aerial surveillance and NGO alerts transmitted to responsible state authorities The estimated number of victims in the two incidents was above 94 in the first case and up to 600 in the second one The dynamics of the two cases were different but they share a link to EU and member state efforts to reduce irregular border crossings by sea a cabinet meeting was held by the Italian government in Cutro followed by a press conference [13] during which murmurs among the press cohort arose due to inaccuracies in PM Meloni’s reconstruction eliciting a response that sounded threatening: “Are you trying to say that someone deliberately wanted these people to die?” The Cutro decree was approved to toughen measures against so-called “irregular migration” and the leitmotif appeared to be that apart from smugglers/traffickers (who must be hunted down worldwide as the problem was their “vocation for leaving.” This is how Italian interior minister Piantedosi put it Piantedosi was on the staff of former Italian interior minister Matteo Salvini when a tug-of-war over sea rescues (including actions of dubious legality) occurred during the short-lived Five Star Movement/Lega Nord government in 2018-2019 [14] and he authored the January 2023 law decree that has resulted in several civilian SAR vessels being blocked and fined after the Meloni government took office Frontex exonerated itself from blame by highlighting how it had informed relevant authorities in timely fashion (submitting photographic evidence) and due to the presence of Italian representatives in its situation room in Warsaw but this reading withstands scrutiny only up to a point in light of evidence from the OLAF anti-corruption agency’s investigation into the EU agency The OLAF report (finalised in February 2021) was only made public by German NGO Frag den Staat in October 2022 [15] despite numerous previous requests for access the report’s content did not lead to appropriate action being taken to tackle irregularities enacted by member states in the realm of border control and sea crossings that are becoming routine there was a case in which irregular manoeuvres and delayed rescue at sea by Maltese authorities in 2020 (several such cases involving Greece were also reported) that led to deaths and returns to Libya (see below) was unduly downgraded despite amounting to a serious case involving human rights violations the resignation in April 2022 of the Frontex executive director was partly motivated by the report’s findings which provided evidence that the direction in which the border agency was moving raised problems Italian and Greek authorities squarely blamed traffickers and the migrants themselves This was despite evidence that questions needed answering about how events unfolded and why search-and-rescue procedures that should be standard were not followed The statements as well as legislative and investigative responses that followed deserve scrutiny particularly regarding the Cutro decree adopted in Italy intense pressure against NGOs in Greece and both states’ efforts to blame people who were on board (suspected of steering the vessels) for the tragedies Despite the court cases initiated against survivors and a conviction referred to above investigations into both countries’ SAR failures are due an inquiry into six coast guard officers is underway concerning omission of rescue and culpable disaster for not having intervened and launched a search mission despite notification of its situation by Frontex’s Eagle 1 aircraft it appears that political decision-making and the primacy assigned to the interior ministry (rather than the infrastructures ministry which is responsible for SAR activities) may have played a role Ombudswoman O’Reilly’s report on the Pylos case notes that the Greek ombudsman is investigating the case (investigation launched on 8 November 2023) “The Hellenic Coast Guard (HCG) was present at the coordinates of the Adriana at the time In the immediate aftermath of the incident questions were raised about how the HCG conducted its response to the maritime emergency including allegations that its actions may have contributed to the capsizing There are different national investigations into the role of the HCG including an ongoing inquiry by the Greek ombudsman opened after the HCG decided not to launch its own internal disciplinary investigation questions were also raised about the role of Frontex.” [17] Cutro: SAR operations subordinated to policing The shipwreck in Cutro occurred months after an Italian coalition government led by Giorgia Meloni of the right-wing Fratelli d’Italia party took office in October 2022 The tragedy was preceded by the umpteenth law decree [18] adopted by Italy to obstruct civilian sea rescue missions the government’s primary concern was to clarify that the shipwreck was unrelated to the new measures an easy task because the shipwreck happened in the Ionian Sea rather than in the waters off the north African coast where NGO vessels are sometimes present this line of defence soon crumbled when other tragedies off the north African coasts unfolded in later weeks in areas that civilian sea rescue NGOs were being kept away from through obstructive tactics like assigning distant ports of safety in which to disembark people (contravening the law of the sea) temporarily blocking them and issuing administrative fines It also turned out that Frontex’s warning of the sighting of a vessel in peril led Italy to launch a police operation against irregular migration instead of a rescue mission a customs and excise police (Guardia di Finanza GdF) vessel set out to reach the Summer Love but was forced to return due to rough sea conditions which the coast guard would have been better equipped to deal with This behaviour reflects efforts over the last few years to limit cases to be dealt with through SAR missions considering elements like the way in which vessels appear to be floating at sea Pylos: sea borders treated as though they were solid The shipwreck of the Adriana fishing boat carrying over 700 passengers on the night of 13/14 June 2023 was the umpteenth case in which large-scale deaths resulted from unlawful procedures at sea by member state authorities that are becoming commonplace declaration of a state of distress for the vessel requiring the launch of a SAR operation to save lives at sea was delayed it appears that an attempt to tow the Adriana preceded the moment when it sank in waters to the south west of Pylos Solomon reported on the Frontex FRO’s internal report into the Adriana incident which included criticism of the Hellenic Coast Guard (HCG) on various grounds: Notions referred to above as instrumental justifications for state authorities not to launch SAR missions (which would technically preclude returns to third countries) applied the Hellenic Coast Guard maintained that the Adriana was seaworthy and had been drifting (without speed) for only a short time.” The Frontex report notes that this disagrees with survivors’ testimonies as well as sea traffic data The Maltese/Libyan precedent: justice denied The Adriana case was reminiscent of a case (that of the April 2020 Easter Monday tragedy) reported in the aforementioned OLAF report into Frontex [21] which lamented the downgrading of a serious incident report (apparently by Leggeri himself) involving the apparent towing of a vessel by Maltese vessels towards Italian waters to relinquish SAR responsibilities It appeared that this move sought to avoid involving the Frontex Fundamental Rights Officer in the case (sometimes referred to in the agency’s higher echelons as “Pol Pot”) and to avert a diplomatic incident involving Malta Had Malta been duly identified and reprimanded for violating maritime law to delay a rescue causing deaths acting disloyally towards a fellow member state (Italy) and engineering an operation whereby a private fishing vessel returned the survivors to Libya (12 died Greek authorities may have hesitated before delaying a necessary rescue The above operation was coordinated by Neville Gafà, previously on PM Muscat’s staff (see previous Statewatch coverage [22] here) and asked by his successor Abela’s government to take charge in this case and admitted using a similar approach between July 2018 and January 2020 Not only did Gafà boast about his role in the pushback Malta also signed its own memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Libya in May 2020 after this incident following the Italian example which has drawn plentiful criticism the Times of Malta was perplexed by the denial of documents that were listed as annexes to the MoU when the reply to a freedom of information request submitted a case brought by 50 survivors and two relatives of the victims of the 2020 Easter Monday tragedy was shelved in Malta as a result of a technicality regarding the appointment of the plaintiffs’ legal counsel [24] Their case had claimed that the decision to push them back to Libya violated human rights under the Maltese Constitution the European Convention on Human Rights and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights because Libya was not to be considered a safe country Frontex executive director Hans Leijtens followed up on what had been a welcome case in which Frontex had finally identified and publicly reported shortcomings by national authorities in relation to delayed sea rescues by mimicking his predecessor He questioned the Ombudswoman’s findings on three grounds he supported the view according to which “the simple fact that it [a vessel] is crowded does not qualify it as a distress case” which is particularly offensive in the context of the Pylos and Cutro cases he confirmed that communications with the Libyan coast guard would continue (despite repeated findings by courts that the country cannot be considered a safe place for disembarkation of rescued people) he noted that Frontex is not equipped to undertake search and rescue activities disregarding the fact that its risk analysis reports were behind the retreat and withdrawal of EU rescue assets from the sea after 2015 when efficient sea rescues were identified as being liable to amount to a “pull factor” This was because EU vessels conducting rescues were forbidden from returning people to Libya whereas disembarkation in EU ports would mean a rise in “irregular border crossings” and asylum applications lowering both of which feature among the agency’s strategic goals alongside increasing deportations (returns in official speak) when naval vessels deployed in security operations (like EUNAVFOR MED Operation Irini) enact sea rescues they now file reports to certify that their rescue operations do not amount to a “pull factor” the decision confirming the operation’s deployment from 31 March 2022 to 31 March 2023 (subject to reconfirmations) for the period from 1 August to 30 November 2022 “(2) Article 8(3) of Decision (CFSP) 2020/472 provides that the authorisation of the operation is to be reconfirmed every four months and that the Political and Security Committee is to prolong the operation unless the deployment of maritime assets of the operation produces a pull effect on migration on the basis of substantiated evidence gathered according to the criteria set out in the Operations Plan.” [26] In another claim that echoes Leggeri’s behaviour when he stated upon resignation that Frontex is a border control agency rather than a human rights body Leijtens stated that “We are not the European Search and Rescue Agency We are the European Border and Coast Guard Agency.” [27] It should also be noted that Leggeri has unsurprisingly (considering his conduct as Frontex executive Director) announced that he will run in the European Parliament elections for Marine Le Pen’s Rassemblement National party in France NGO aircraft Mediterranean flight ban in Italy the Italian civil aviation authority ENAC (which reports to the transport and infrastructures ministry headed by Matteo Salvini) issued five orders banning civilian SAR NGO aircraft (and vessels) from monitoring events in the central Mediterranean [28] The orders relate to five Sicilian airports (Lampedusa Trapani Birgi) and bear the title “Irregular migratory phenomenon by sea arriving from the north African coast Prohibition of the operativity of NGO aircraft and vessels on the scene of the central Mediterranean” an order that came into force “immediately” (article 2 “Fenomeno migratorio irregolare via mare proveniente dalle coste dell’Africa del nord Interdizione all’operatività dei velivoli e delle imbarcazioni delle ONG sullo scenario del Mare Mediterraneo centrale”) Article 1 (the basic measure) suggests that sanctions under the code of navigation including the administrative blocking of vehicles may be applied for undertaking SAR activities outside of the current normative framework disregarding past cooperation between NGO vessels and the Italian MRCC and coastguard beyond asserting the exclusive SAR competences of the Italian Coast Guard authority the explanatory statements to justify an unusual measure insidiously suggest that the NGO vessels and aircraft “unduly” intervened at sea and that such undue actions may endanger the physical health of migrants “not assisted according to the protocols that are in force which have been approved by the maritime authority” Sea-Watch responded by noting that the order was unlawful and sought to conceal rights violations at sea undertaking a monitoring flight two days later lawyer and academic Fulvio Vassallo Paleologo explained [30] that there is a lack of legal basis in the orders which amount to allowing ample margins of discretion to the infrastructures ministry as regards sanctions and possible fines and/or administrative stops the National Authority of Civil Aviation (ENAC) has acted beyond its competences and powers because the international normative framework referred to does not authorise prohibitions of necessary search and rescue activities also because their spotting work has sometimes resulted in Italian Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre-led rescue operations the criminal court in Kalamata dismissed the charges against nine Egyptians accused of smuggling and facilitating illegal entry in relation to the Pylos shipwreck declaring itself incompetent to adjudicate charges of membership of a criminal organisation The decision results from a claim by the defence that the court lacked juridisdiction because the incident happened in international waters [30] Dismissal of the charges on this technical ground prevented scrutiny of substantive aspects of the case linked to the intervention of the Greek coast guard and manoeuvres (including a claimed towing attempt) that may have played a part in the outcome Two Hellenic Coast Guard officers (including the captain of HCG Vessel 920) were also questioned but their involvement was limited to establishing the location of their intervention rather than delving into their acts and possible omissions The Legal Centre Lesvos statement concluded: While today’s outcome comes as a great relief in particular knowing the context of systematic criminalisation of migrants in Greece it is important not to forget the ordeal endured by the nine accused who despite having claimed their innocence from the outset were nevertheless prosecuted and detained nearly a year without access to psycho-social support.” [3] Altreconomia, Cutro, una distanza incolmabile. Il reportage nel primo anniversario della strage, 27.2.2024, https://altreconomia.it/cutro-una-distanza-incolmabile-il-reportage-nel-primo-anniversario-della-strage/ [4] European Ombudsman, Decision on how the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) complies with its fundamental rights obligations with regard to search and rescue in the context of its maritime surveillance activities, in particular the Adriana shipwreck (OI/3/2023/MHZ), 26.2.2024, https://www.ombudsman.europa.eu/en/press-release/en/182676 [7] Legal Centre Lesvos, LCL lawyers take over defence of 2 survivors accused of the Adriana shipwreck, 16.10.2023, https://legalcentrelesvos.org/2023/10/16/lcl-lawyers-take-over-the-defence-of-2-survivors-accused-of-the-adriana-shipwreck/ [8] Solomon, “It was already too late”: Frontex blames the Hellenic Coast Guard for the Pylos shipwreck, 1.2.2024, https://wearesolomon.com/mag/format/feature/it-was-already-too-late-frontex-blames-the-hellenic-coast-guard-for-the-pylos-shipwreck/ [9] SOS Mediterranee press statement, 6.12.2023, “Decreto Piantedosi: le Ong pagano il prezzo del disinteresse per il diritto marittimo”, https://sosmediterranee.it/focus-sul-decreto-piantedosi-le-ong-pagano-il-prezzo-del-disinteresse-per-il-diritto-marittimo/ [10] European Ombudsman, Decision on how the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) complies with its fundamental rights obligations with regard to search and rescue in the context of its maritime surveillance activities, in particular the Adriana shipwreck (OI/3/2023/MHZ), 26.2.2024, https://www.ombudsman.europa.eu/en/press-release/en/182676 [11] Statewatch, Italy renews Memorandum with Libya, as evidence of a secret Malta-Libya deal surfaces, March 2020, https://www.statewatch.org/analyses/2020/italy-renews-memorandum-with-libya-as-evidence-of-a-secret-malta-libya-deal-surfaces/ Statewatch, Malta-Libya Memorandum of Understanding, June 2020, https://www.statewatch.org/media/documents/news/2020/jun/malta-libya-mou-immigration.pdf [14] Statewatch, Italy’s redefinition of sea rescue as a crime draws on EU policy for inspiration, April 2019, http://www.statewatch.org/media/documents/analyses/no-341-italy-salvini-boats-directive.pdf ; Cutro decree “Disposizioni urgenti in materia di flussi di ingresso legale dei lavoratori stranieri e di prevenzione e contrasto all'immigrazione irregolare”; decreto-legge 5 ottobre 2023 133 reca misure urgenti in materia di immigrazione e protezione internazionale e per il supporto alle politiche di sicurezza e la funzionalità del Ministero dell'interno” [15] FragdenStaat, OLAF Final Report on Frontex, CASE No OC/2021/0451/A1, October 2022, https://fragdenstaat.de/dokumente/23397 -olaf-final-report-on-frontex/ https://fragdenstaat.de/en/blog/2022/10/13/frontex-olaf-report-leaked/ [17] European Ombudsman, Decision on how the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) complies with its fundamental rights obligations with regard to search and rescue in the context of its maritime surveillance activities, in particular the Adriana shipwreck (OI/3/2023/MHZ), 26.2.2024, https://www.ombudsman.europa.eu/en/press-release/en/182676 [18] Relatively recent measures include: Salvini decree “Disposizioni urgenti in materia di protezione internazionale e immigrazione nonchè misure per la funzionalità del Ministero dell'interno e l'organizzazione e il funzionamento dell'Agenzia nazionale per l'amministrazione e la destinazione dei beni sequestrati e confiscati alla criminalità organizzata”; Directive no “Direttiva per il coordinamento unificato di attività di sorveglianza delle frontiere marittime e per il contrasto all’immigrazione illegale ex articolo 11 del d.lgs 286/1998 recante il Testo Unico in materia di Immigrazione”; Piantedosi decree [20] Solomon, “It was already too late”: Frontex blames the Hellenic Coast Guard for the Pylos shipwreck, 1.2.2024, https://wearesolomon.com/mag/format/feature/it-was-already-too-late-frontex-blames-the-hellenic-coast-guard-for-the-pylos-shipwreck/ [23] Times of Malta, Persons of trust and missing documents: Malta’s secretive migration project, 3.7.2023, https://timesofmalta.com/article/persons-trust-missing-documents-malta-secretive-migration-project.1041371 [26] OJEU, L196/125, 25.7.2022, Political and Security Committe Decision (CFSP) 2022/1295 of 19 July 2022 on the reconfirmation of the authorisation of the European Union military operation in the Mediterranean (EUNAVFOR MED IRINI) (EUNAVFOR MED IRINI/3/2022), https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX%3A32022D1295 [28] Ente Nazionale Aviazione Civile, Ordinanze 2024 Sicilia occidentale, https://www.enac.gov.it/la-normativa/normativa-enac/ordinanze/sicilia-occidentale/ordinanze-2024-sicilia-occidentale [29] Sea Watch, Italy bans human rights monitoring over the Mediterranean, 8 May 2024, https://sea-watch.org/en/italy-bans-human-rights-monitoring-over-the-mediterranean/ [30] A-DIF, Dall’ENAC ordinanze illeggittime contro il soccorso civile nel Mediterraneo centrale, 8 May 2024, https://www.a-dif.org/2024/05/08/dallenac-ordinanze-illegittime-contro-il-soccorso-civile-nel-mediterraneo-centrale/ [31] Legal Centre Lesvos press release, 21.5.2024, “The nine accused of the Pylos shipwreck acquitted based on the lack of jurisdiction of Greek courts”, https://legalcentrelesvos.org/2024/05/21/the-nine-accused-of-the-pylos-shipwreck-acquitted-based-on-the-lack-of-jurisdiction-of-greek-courts/ “Migration is a European challenge which requires a European response” has become a favoured refrain of EU officials and communiques While the slogan is supposed to reinforce the need for a unified EU migration policy it also masks the reality of the situation The EU’s response to migration – in particular irregular migration – is increasingly dependent on non-EU Billions of euros and huge diplomatic efforts have been expended over the last three decades to rope non-EU states into this migration control agenda and the process of externalisation is accelerating and expanding Understanding the institutions and agencies involved is a crucial first step for anyone working for humane EU asylum and migration policies Data covering 17 years of Frontex’s deportation operations shows the expanding role of the agency We have produced a series of visualisations to show the number of people deported in Frontex-coordinated operations the EU and Mauritania signed a landmark “migration deal.” This January note from the European Commission makes the case for the deal to EU member state representatives in the Council and therefore preceding both the public announcement of the deal on 7 February and its signing one month later the note offers insight into the politics behind the migration partnership deal between Mauritania and the EU The politics behind the EU-Mauritania migration partnership Automating the fortress: digital technologies and European borders If you've spotted a problem with this page the views expressed are those of the author Statewatch is not responsible for the content of external websites and inclusion of a link does not constitute an endorsement Registered company name: The Libertarian Research & Education Trust Personal usage as private individuals "fair dealing" is allowed We also welcome links to material on our site Usage by those working for organisations is allowed only if the organisation holds an appropriate licence from the relevant reprographic rights organisation (eg: Copyright Licensing Agency in the UK) with such usage being subject to the terms and conditions of that licence and to local copyright law About | Contact | Privacy Policy Myanmar earthquake: Working to meet the biggest needs 90% of our funding comes from individual donors. Learn how you can support MSF’s lifesaving care with a gift. We need your support to continue this lifesaving work Italy that claimed at least 94 lives last year reflect on the dashed dreams of loved ones who died making the treacherous sea crossing At least 94 people died off the coast of the Italian village of Steccato di Cutro on February 26, 2023, when a wooden fishing boat carrying between 150 to 200 people crashed into rocks during bad weather Doctors without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) provided mental health support to survivors of the shipwreck as well as to relatives and friends of the victims with the objective to help address their trauma A year after what has been called "the Cutro massacre," the exact number of people who died is still unknown. These are the last words Maida sent to her family on the night of February 25, 2023—her final message before the sea snatched her up and claimed her life 500 feet off the beach of Steccato di Cutro in Calabria, southern Italy. After four days of sailing on an old fishing boat crammed with almost 200 people who had set off from Türkiye Maida’s dreams of an education finally seemed within reach He had become Maida's rock as she chased her dreams of reaching Europe for a better future. She was so determined to reach Europe and accomplish her dream that she didn’t want to think of all the journey’s risks but I didn't know what boat she was on,” Farid continued “I was very worried about her because I know the route and I know how dangerous and difficult it is She was so determined to reach Europe and accomplish her dream that she didn’t want to think of all the journey’s risks." Farid was ready to take care of Maida once she arrived in Europe guiding and orienting her through her first months in a new land he was faced with the most difficult task of his life: identifying his niece's corpse. after the fishing boat hit rocks on the seabed and sank. While Farid desperately searched for the body of his niece among the shipwreck's corpses another man tried to find the courage to call his sister “We stayed in the water for at least two or three hours before help arrived,” Firas explained Firas and his nephews, Hassad and Ahmad, left Syria in 2014 when the civil war put their lives at risk “We had been in Turkey for the past few years but the discrimination and violence against Syrians had become unbearable We dreamed of reuniting our family in Europe I had to tell my sister that her 6-year-old son died at sea.” I had to tell my sister that her 6-year-old son died at sea "Making that call was a dramatic moment,” said Mara Tunno, an MSF psychologist who is part of an MSF search and rescue team that provides psychological assistance to survivors of shipwrecks off the Italian coast “[At first] Firas didn't have the strength to call the child's mother to tell her that he had drowned.” The day of the wreck Tunno had rushed to Cutro with intercultural mediators to assist the survivors and victims’ families particularly during body identification in the days following "I have never seen so much pain in one room I have never seen so much pain in one room The shipwreck on February 26 marked the start of one of the bloodiest years in the Central Mediterranean. Over 4,100 people died or went missing attempting to cross the Mediterranean to Europe in 2023, according to the UN Refugee Agency "A frightening average of seven lives are lost every day in the desperate attempt to cross the Central Mediterranean,” explained Marco Bertotto “We would have expected national governments and European institutions to put the protection of human lives first but the Italian authorities have not taken a single concrete initiative to prevent other tragedies and has further weakened [search and rescue operations] by obstructing the role of civil society.” Instead Bertotto said there has been “nothing but the [senseless] continuation of deterrence policies which continue to prevail over safe and legal pathways.” "The Italian government has put in place increasingly restrictive rules to limit the capacity of search and rescue non-governmental organizations [NGOs] to conduct rescues,” added Bertotto “People continue to die at sea while NGOs are instructed to reject requests for help prevented from carrying out multiple rescues and assigned distant ports of disembarkation.” Instead of preventing people from dying at sea, the authorities enacted the Cutro Decree after the shipwreck, which threatens survivors with detention, reduces their rights as asylum seekers “These measures have the clear objective of deterring and preventing landings on Italian shores even if this comes at the cost of human lives,” said Bertotto “Detention threats and denying people their rights will not prevent deaths at sea But what if they had had an alternative to the dangerous sea crossing What if they had had safe and legal channels to reach Europe Maida and Ahmad would not be numbers on coffins—they would be pursuing their dreams," added Bertotto. Haiti violence pushes MSF trauma hospital to its limits South Sudan: MSF strongly condemns deliberate bombing of its hospital .. © Médecins Sans Frontières 2025 Federal tax ID#: 13-3433452 Unrestricted donations enable MSF to carry out our programs around the world we will reallocate your donation to where the needs are greatest A quick video of the Fischers Marina location on Lake George a protracted lawsuit and a $1.1 million debt will send Fischers Marina on Lake George to the auction block next month Arguments and counter-arguments in legal documents show a partnership in the marina that was strained by either confusion of the roles each man played or improper business activity depending on which side was telling the story who managed day-to-day operations of the marina had not done so in accordance with the company’s governing documents and the applicable laws The lawsuit alleged in court documents that Cutro Jr defrauded Filler and wrongfully and without authorization made payments to himself failed to account for and designate income utilized company property to generate revenue The two had been partners in the marina since 2008 and jointly own multiple LLCs (Marina Operating LLC Residence Rental LLC and The Enclave at Lake George LLC.) for the day-to-day operations of the Marina Various LLCs own property on both sides of Pilot Knob Road The marina itself is at 1215 Pilot Knob Rd was expected to make up the difference by handling the day-to-day operations Fischers Marina on Lake George's Kattskill Bay “During the period from approximately 2008 through 2021 was unjustly enriched by wrongfully converting utilizing or managing the property and financial interests of the plaintiffs,” the lawsuit reads have asked for financial compensation as a result alleged that Filler is guilty of fiduciary breaches The suit also names George Gellert in the case in connection with transactions related to the Marina Landing business asserts that Filler has breached his fiduciary obligations both as his attorney Neither Cutro’s or Filler’s lawyers responded responded to requests for comment and Filler were in the process of acquiring the property equipment and improvements that would eventually become Marina Landing’s land and operations in May 2008 Filler arranged for his friend Gellert to loan Filler and Cutro Jr claims that Filler presented him with a promissory note to sign for the loan and allegedly told Cutro Jr even though Filler would be solely responsible for repaying the loan even though the promissory note plainly states that Filler and Cutro Jr when Gellert sued to collect on the promissory note they had not repaid any of the $800,000 loan and with interest the outstanding balance was over $1.1 million and eventually took a default judgment for $1,159,768.06 against Cutro Jr alleges that Filler “influenced and induced” Gellert to sue that case claims that in late 2021 and through April 2022 to sell his interest in the company for significantly less than fair value Filler commenced this action against Cutro alleging breach of fiduciary duty and other similar claims Gellert began aggressively enforcing his judgment against Cutro even though he had done nothing to enforce the Judgment for the previous eight years Gellert undertook several judgment enforcement measures in connection with his unpaid judgment against Cutro Jr Gellert petitioned the court for an order compelling compliance and objected to Cutro Jr.’s transfer of real property from himself to another business entity that Cutro Jr claims that in 2021 Marina Landing received two offers from third-parties to purchase the business at $6.5 million and $7.5 million complains that Filler unreasonably refused to accept or approve either of those offers that they should sell the business to Thomas Cordasco (a friend of Filler’s son) Cordasco offered to purchase the business for $6.9 million Filler allegedly proposed that instead of selling the Marina Landing business in its entirety should sell his 50% interest in the business to Cordasco Filler and Gellert entered into a written agreement dated May 8 and Filler to cooperate in good faith to sell Fischers Marina and Gellert agreed to suspend judgment enforcement for a period of 120 days while the sale process proceeded The three had differing opinions on who to sell to Filler filed for an order authorizing him to purchase Cutro Jr.’s interest in Marina Landing Holding Co. and setting a hearing to determine the fair value of Cutro Jr.’s interest in an affidavit filed by Cutro in November 2023 he claimed that considering Filler had not helped operate the company not made any meaningful capital contributions since 2008 “it would be completely unfair to force me out of a business to which I have devoted the last fifteen years of my life I am the one who has managed the day-to-day operations without pay.” Cutro and Gellert agreed to a sale of the Marina at a public action The agreement for the auction states that they agree to retain Tranzon Auction Properties to conduct the auction the Gellert judgment and one-half of the balance of the loan from Cutro Jr.’s parents will be paid from sale proceeds the balance of net sale proceeds will be held in escrow pending a final resolution of the lawsuit and any disputes between the parties concerning the sale Procedures Agreement or the auction will be submitted to the courts for resolution Gellert has agreed to wait for a period of 120 days so that the judgment can be satisfied from sale proceeds has filed a motion to dismiss his pending bankruptcy case Nayanika Guha is a staff writer. Contact her at: 518-742-3272; nguha@poststar.com Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly Email notifications are only sent once a day Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account passed away surrounded by her family on March 28 Marianne leaves behind her beloved children She was the proud grandmother of Deanna (Jeffrey) Wisniewski She was the cherished great grandmother of Anthony and Nicholas Wisniewski Marianne touched the hearts of all who knew her Her life was her family; she found joy in simple moments spent together and she created cherished memories Marianne will be remembered for her strength Her zest for life and lighthearted spirit enriched the lives of those around her and her absence will be deeply felt by all who had the privilege of knowing her and may we find solace in the knowledge that she is at peace Memorial visitation will be held April 14 3:00pm-7:00pm with a 6:00pm service at Cooney Funeral Home located at 625 Busse Hwy in Park Ridge. For information please call 847-685-1002 or visit www.cooneyfuneralhome.com Every year, on 12 August, the Chess Challenge at the Court of Spain "Chess match with living characters in medieval costume" is held in Cutro to re-enact the famous match between Bishop Ruj Lopez and the Cutro native Gio Leonardo Di Bona known as "Il Puttino". Street viewInterestedHistorical re-enactmentsFlag Festival23 - 25 May Content owned by the Calabria Region | Tourism and Commerce Department issued under CC-BY License Download OFFICIAL TOURIST INFORMATION SITE © 2022 Calabria Region Tourism and Commerce Department survivors and families gather in Cutro to remember 94 who died on journey seeking refuge in Europe Relatives of the 94 people killed in a shipwreck off a beach in southern Italy say they are still seeking “truth and justice” one year on from the tragedy A series of events are being held in Cutro including a demonstration on Sunday and a torchlit procession at 4am on Monday along the stretch of coast in Steccato di Cutro where many of the bodies washed up The overcrowded wooden vessel fell apart in stormy seas just 3 metres from the beach on 26 February 2023. The boat had departed from Turkey four days earlier carrying about 180 people from countries including Afghanistan, Syria, Iran, Pakistan and Iraq who were seeking refuge in Europe. who travelled to Cutro this weekend for the commemorative events An investigation by prosecutors in Crotone into the alleged delays in Italian rescue operations after the authorities were alerted is ongoing said it had warned the Italian coastguard about the presence of a boat in difficulty about 45 miles off the coast but patrol boats sent to intercept it were allegedly returned to port due to bad weather a journalist of Afghan origin who lives in the northern Italian city of Bolzano said on behalf of the victims’ families during a discussion organised by Noi Non Dimentichiamo (We Don’t Forget) “We are asking for truth and justice for a massacre that was avoidable.” was on the boat but his body has not been found and after a year I still don’t have the courage to tell my aunt that we haven’t found his body,” said Shiri “If there was a European law on family reunification We have asked for a reunification [policy] but all we get from the [Italian] government is words.” It was the deadliest migrant shipwreck to occur so close to the shore in Italy since 368 people lost their lives after their boat sank off the island of Lampedusa in October 2013 He was one of four people smugglers on the vessel Some of the wreckage of the 20-metre-long vessel Free weekly newsletterThe most pressing stories and debates for Europeans – from identity to economics to the environment Vincenzo Luciano, a fisher, was the first to arrive at the scene, at around 5.30am, after receiving a call from a fellow fisher who described seeing a boat breaking up in the waves. Luciano, who pulled several bodies from the sea, told the Guardian at the time: “It was still dark but when I arrived I could see many bodies on the beach Using the light from my phone I tried to find others in the sea Nothing like this has ever happened on this stretch of coast before and I hope it’s a memory I’m able to forget quickly.” he had not been out to sea and it still troubled him that he did not arrive sooner “What I can’t forget is the child who died in my arms,” he said during the Noi Non Dimentichiamo discussion A football match and a concert were also being held over the weekend while a photo exhibition dedicated to the tragedy opened at a museum in Crotone Italy is one of the main landing points for people trying to enter Europe with the “central Mediterranean route” considered one of the world’s most dangerous U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) Click here to log in to theAthlete Connect application Click here to view yourtest history and results Search Medications & Ingredients Athlete Connect > Athlete Express > GlobalDRO > USADA announced today that Nina Cutro-Kelly of Selma has accepted a two-year sanction for an anti-doping rule violation after testing positive for a prohibited substance tested positive for an anabolic agent as the result of an out-of-competition urine sample collected on October 2 USADA’s Athlete Passport Management Unit (APMU) recommended additional screening based on abnormal markers in her sample so her urine sample was analyzed using a specialized test known as Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS) that unequivocally differentiates between anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) naturally produced by the body and AAS of synthetic origin The IRMS analysis detected the presence of AAS—in this case dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) or its precursors All AAS are Non-Specified Substances in the class of Anabolic Agents and are prohibited at all times under the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee National Anti-Doping Policy and the International Judo Federation Anti-Doping Rules all of which have adopted the World Anti-Doping Code and the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List During its investigation into the circumstances of the case USADA determined that Cutro-Kelly used a DHEA supplement at the recommendation of her doctor but failed to assess the prohibited status of any ingredients in the supplement before use despite USADA having educated her on the importance of carefully checking product labels and the significant risks of supplement use Cutro-Kelly’s two-year period of ineligibility began on April 12 the date her provisional suspension was imposed Cutro-Kelly has been disqualified from all competitive results obtained on and after October 2 as well as performance-enhancing and recreational drugs USADA makes available a number of ways to report the abuse of performance-enhancing drugs in sport in an effort to protect clean athletes and promote clean competition. Any tip can be reported using the USADA Play Clean Tip Center, by text at 87232 (“USADA”), by email at playclean@USADA.org by phone at 1-877-Play Clean (1-877-752-9253) or by mail USADA is responsible for the testing and results management process for athletes in the U.S Olympic and Paralympic Movement and is equally dedicated to preserving the integrity of sport through research initiatives and educational programs For more information or media inquiries, click here. Emailusada@USADA.org Phone Number(719) 785-2000 Toll-Free(866) 601-2632 © 2025 Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here Named after a terrible shipwreck in which more than 80 people died in March, the government’s Cutro decree became law last week humane response to the rise in people crossing the Mediterranean to reach Europe the new legislation doubles down on the government’s focus on deterrence and criminalization The law will likely make it harder for people to get “special protection” (protezione speciale) a temporary but renewable right to remain in Italy on humanitarian and family grounds migrants will no longer be able to convert the special protection into a work permit: a change likely to increase the number of undocumented workers in Italy The law extends the amount of time people can be detained pending deportation from a maximum of 120 days to a maximum of 135 days and introduces a new process to detain asylum seekers at the border for up to four weeks while their claim is processed under a new accelerated border procedure. Also, the law removes access to vital services in first reception centers The law comes against a backdrop of rising discriminatory discourse, criminalization of aid to migrants, and continuing cooperation with Libya, where migrants face abuses the UN describes as crimes against humanity Deaths at sea and repressive measures are the real emergency Italy should reverse course and ensure a humane and rights-respecting response to sea crossings Rising Xenophobic Harassment and Violence towards Central Asian Migrants in Russia Get updates on human rights issues from around the globe Human Rights Watch is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit registered in the US under EIN: 13-2875808 Vincenzo points to a spot to the right of the beach at Steccato di Cutro: it’s where at 6.30am on Saturday morning the body of a 2-and-a-half-year-old boy was found They are in a condition best left unsaid." The little boy had been in the water since last Sunday since the tragedy that shocked the city of Crotone and the world: the shipwreck of a migrant boat that had set sail from Turkey and that hit a shoal throwing about 180 people overboard while the sea was rough and the waves were up to four-metres-high "The boat looked as though it had been in a washing machine.” Witnesses tell of “pieces upon pieces Sixty-nine people have been found dead so far including the child who resurfaced today from the waters of the Ionian Sea That number soon turned to 70 when the body of a 12 or 13 year-old boy was found on a nearby beach in Botricello More than forty people are still presumed missing possibly caught in the rocks on the opposite side of the shipwreck site that has been making the water murky are hampering the work of divers and Civil Defence teams 50-year-old Vincenzo Luciani is a local fisherman who was on the beach on Saturday morning when the toddler was brought to shore He describes the dramatic moment when the waves started returning bodies "I was sleeping and I got a phone call from a friend saying: 'Vincé I don't know what's happening!' I live nearby I got dressed and five minutes later I was here When I arrived I saw some frightening images but I didn't have time to think about anything because I jumped into the water to reach the people in the waves I thought they were alive but they were all dead I had a hard time bringing them to the beach because the undertow took them back again I would take them to the beach and the sea would take them back.. The fisherman’s blue eyes are reddened by little sleep and salt: “The further I looked that shocked him so much that it took away his sleep and appetite for days: "He was small I saw that he was no longer breathing and I closed his eyes I haven't been able to forget that scene for a week” the fisherman has practically lived on the beach or placed under a cross cobbled together with two wooden rods and some steel wire - all along the coast a bouquet of mimosas placed under a piece of the wreck lying on its side an occurrence the drowned women will not be able to celebrate the beach seems crystallised in that hour of death and despair A continuous stream of inhabitants of nearby Crotone despite the bad weather and roads rendered almost impassable due to potholes and mud are like pilgrims treading this difficult path to the place that has been called the 'beach of sorrow' in a Stations of the Cross organised by the Archdiocese of Crotone in the local cathedral guided by meditations from Pope Francis' words on migration Another Way of the Cross will be held tomorrow along the same beach with the title With Christ among migrants before the indifference of the powerful Vincenzo does not participate in the ongoing search efforts He just stands on the beach or seeks shelter from the cold inside his white Nissan and of Misericordie volunteers are parked further back next to the mobile emergency response centre blue tent with a pair of binoculars: "Maybe some waves will bring something else back," he comments bitterly Every shadow below the surface of the water sets the teams into action The rhythm of the past days continues unabated: "We've been here since 4 a.m. we were supposed to take a break this morning but we're going on," says a volunteer searching: this is what we do from morning to night Even at night.” Vincenzo says he equipped himself with a searchlight: “it's a duty to search It is a duty towards people like the Afghan woman who came to the beach yesterday to beg the fisherman to find her son's body She held my arm and using a phone translator she said: 'Please find my son...' I made the same promise to a brother who came yesterday from France He sent me a photograph and his telephone number and said: ‘please if you find this person call me.’ I also made a promise to myself: how can one leave them in the sea This keeps me from sleeping at night" Thank you for reading our article. You can keep up-to-date by subscribing to our daily newsletter. Just click here Which language would you like to use this site in Reacting to a new investigation from Lighthouse Reports that reveals new details about the February shipwreck of Steccato di Cutro in Italy which resulted in the death of at least 94 people despite EU Border Agency Frontex and Italian authorities being aware they were in danger Director of Amnesty International’s European Institutions Office Instead of shirking their responsibilities and passing the buck between themselves Frontex and the Italian authorities should be transparent about what might have gone wrong they need to ensure that lessons are learnt and there is accountability for any wrongdoing men and children who lost their lives that day “Most of the people aboard the ‘Summer Love’ boat were from Afghanistan 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 scandalous 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.” At about 04.30am local time on 26 February 2023 a wooden boat carrying about 200 people shipwrecked metres away from the beach of Steccato di Cutro International law imposes obligations on states in relation to search and rescue including to ensure arrangements for the prompt coordination of rescue operations in their area of responsibility and for the rescue of persons in distress at sea near their coasts 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 in relation to bad weather conditions and the likely presence of refugees and migrants below deck Amnesty International had already flagged shortcomings and open questions in relation to the authorities’ response to the incident, and made recommendations for the Italian authorities in its calls for urgent review of search and rescue procedures and visa policies The organization welcomes the attempts by Lighthouse Reports to shed light on the tragic events at Cutro amid the lack of transparency and refusal to acknowledge any responsibility by Italian authorities and Frontex Together we can fight for human rights everywhere Your donation can transform the lives of millions If you are talented and passionate about human rights then Amnesty International wants to hear from you Search and rescue operations still under way in Steccato di Cutro as anger grows over failure to manage migration humanely It was about 5.30am on Sunday when Vincenzo Luciano rushed to the beach in Steccato di Cutro in Italy’s southern Calabria region after receiving a call from a fellow fisher who described seeing a boat breaking up in the waves “Using the light from my phone I tried to find others in the sea Vincenzo Luciano, who was among the first on the scene of the shipwreck. Photograph: Roberto Salomone/The GuardianSixty-two people are so far confirmed to have died after the wooden boat sank in rough seas off Steccato di Cutro a little village home to about 450 people and a popular tourist destination in summer The boat had left the Turkish port of İzmir four days before who were just metres away from the shore when the tragedy occurred On Saturday night the vessel was seen about 45 miles (74km) off the Italian coast by a plane operated by the EU’s border agency but patrol boats sent to intercept it were returned to port due to bad weather Police said they then mobilised a squad to search the coastline Many of the bodies were found washed up on the beach Remains of the 20-metre-long vessel were strewn along the coast on Monday Luciano was on the beach again early on Monday morning when he came across the body of another victim “I was driving up and down the beach in my Jeep when I saw him,” he said who was walking along the beach with her friend Maria have been detained on suspicion of people smuggling Boat remains on the shore Photograph: Roberto Salomone/The Guardian“Some survivors say there were 120 on board the boat; others say 200,” said Sergio Tedesco Maybe when the sea is calmer it might return more bodies It is the deadliest migrant shipwreck to occur so close to the shore in Italy since 368 people lost their lives after the boat they were on sank off the island of Lampedusa in October 2013 Seeing children dying at sea is unacceptable They come here in search of the European mirage Steccato di Cutro resident“I have been treating migrants for 30 years and have never seen anything like this,” said Orlando Amodeo we have had boats getting into difficulty on this beach in the past These people travelled 1,078km by sea only to die three metres from the shore – it’s a tragedy within a tragedy for people who were already unfortunate.” The shipwreck has also reignited the debate on immigration in Europe and Italy, where the nationalist government of the prime minister, Giorgia Meloni imposed tough measures against sea rescue charities – including fining them up to €50,000 (£44,000) if they flout a requirement to request where to harbour and sail to port immediately after undertaking a rescue instead of remaining at sea to help people from other boats in difficulty on Friday became the first vessel to be penalised under the new system after being hit with a €10,000 fine and a ban from operating for 20 days Free daily newsletterOur morning email breaks down the key stories of the day telling you what’s happening and why it matters Search and rescue teams at work on the Steccato di Cutro beach Photograph: Roberto Salomone/The GuardianMeloni expressed “deep sorrow” for the lives cut short by people smugglers in the shipwreck while repeating her government’s commitment to “preventing departures and along with them the tragedies that unfold” “It is inhumane to exchange the lives of men women and children for the price of a ‘ticket’ paid by them on the false promise of a safe journey,” she said Italy is one of the main landing points for people trying to enter Europe, but the “central Mediterranean route” is considered one of the world’s most dangerous. According to the International Organization for Migration’s Missing Migrants project, 17,000 people have died or have gone missing in the central Mediterranean, and 26,085 across the entire Mediterranean, since 2014. Read moreBut for the past decade EU member states have failed to come up with a shared and there is no official search and rescue operation in the Mediterranean “I see no sense in saying ‘stop departures’ which hosts the biggest refugee population in the world and is now dealing with an earthquake crisis,” said Christopher Hein a professor of immigration law and policies at Luiss University in Rome “I see even less sense in saying ‘we must stop people leaving their countries of origin’ – how can you prevent them from leaving Afghanistan or Syria Hein was also critical of comments by the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen who on Sunday said the EU “must redouble its efforts on a pact on migration and asylum and “plan of action” on the central Mediterranean Bodies of the victims of the shipwreck being brought to the local morgue Photograph: Roberto Salomone/The Guardian“What has the EU’s pact on migration and asylum which was presented by the commission in 2021 there is no word about a European effort on search and rescue at sea … I compared the declarations made by Italian and European leaders after this tragedy with those made after Lampedusa in 2013 Residents in Steccato di Cutro held a minute’s silence for the people who died in the shipwreck but as rescuers continued their search amid bad weather on Monday afternoon anger was growing over the failure of national and European political institutions to manage migration in a humane way “We are only a hamlet of 450 people and are all so saddened – seeing children dying at sea is unacceptable,” said Gianluca “They come here in search of the European mirage Italian ministers approve tougher laws against people-smugglers during meeting in Cutro Protests were held as the Italian prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, held a cabinet meeting on Thursday in Cutro, the Calabrian town close to where at least 72 people died in a shipwreck last month The rightwing cabinet approved tougher laws against people-smugglers, including jail terms of up to 30 years for those who cause the death of more than one person, as well as measures to boost legal routes through which foreign workers can enter Italy. “We wanted to have this cabinet meeting here because, in the aftermath of the tragedy, we wanted to give a symbolic and concrete signal,” Meloni said during a press conference after the meeting. Meloni defended criticism of her government over its immigration policies, which some claim may have contributed to the tragedy on 26 February off the coast of Steccato di Cutro, a beach area popular in summer. Italian rescue authorities are being investigated over allegations that they failed to act quickly enough to prevent the shipwreck. Read moreThe overcrowded wooden vessel, which fell apart in stormy seas just 3 metres from the beach, had left Turkey four days earlier and is believed to have been carrying as many as 200 people from countries including Afghanistan, Syria, Iran, Pakistan and Iraq who were seeking refuge in Europe Four alleged people-smugglers have been arrested Protesters scattered cuddly toys on the ground of a square close to where the cabinet meeting was taking place in a gesture highlighting the 18 children who died in the wreck Some held a banner reading “Not in our name … Calabria has a big heart who was criticised after the tragedy for saying “desperation can never justify travel conditions that endanger the lives of one’s own children” Meloni said: “I am surprised that the same people who are picking on the government and I thank Minister Piantedosi for what he said and did do not say a word about traffickers who ask for up to €9,000 and who left the migrants abandoned.” Relatives of the dead, many of whom travelled to Crotone are reportedly planning a class action case against the Italian state in an attempt to seek justice 40 civil and social associations including Doctors Without Borders presented a petition to prosecutors in Crotone urging them to shed light on the shipwreck “We want to give our contribution to establishing the facts there can be no grey areas on possible liability in the rescue machine,” the associations said in a statement are still strewn across the beach in Steccato di Cutro Meloni’s government came to power on a pledge to stop illegal immigration Among her government’s measures are fines of up to €50,000 for charity rescue ships that flout rules limiting them to carrying out one sea rescue at a time In a letter to the European Commission president Meloni wrote that the goal was not “to cancel migration to Europe but to stop the illegal trafficking of human beings” adding that it was a “moral duty” to avoid a repeat of the shipwreck in Cutro A tiny grey sweatshirt lies on the beach at Steccato di Cutro Someone has crafted a small altar beside it The tragic memento marks one of the 14 Stations of the Cross organized by the Archdiocese of Crotone-Santa Severina to commemorate the scores of migrants who found death in the waters of the Ionian Sea at dawn on Sunday 26 February the day of the tragedy on the coast of Italy’s southern Calabria region a week later Pope Francis at the Angelus again expressed his sorrow: and may they not continue to throw away the lives of so many innocent people!” On that shore where the bodies of 71 migrants – most of them Afghans and Pakistanis - have been returned from the water stripped bare by the violence of the waves the people of Crotone and the surrounding area walk in procession behind an enormous lopsided wooden crucifix It’s made from the wood of the shattered barge joined by the same bolts and nails that held the vessel together The crucifix was made by a local carpenter just hours after the tragedy and it will be kept in the parish of Le Castella Parish priest Don Francesco Loprete says it reminds him of the cross of Jesus: “This rough cold wood bears the body of so many innocent people who died for the sins they did not commit it symbolizes the dreams of our brothers and sisters." As the days go by “The risk is that we too will erase from our minds this tragedy that has touched us so deeply.” The faithful from the parishes of Botricello San Leonardo and all the neighbouring municipalities take turns to carry the cross on their shoulders during the procession The lifeless bodies of some of the migrants have washed up the beaches of some of these villages in recent hours The mayors shouldered the cross for the penultimate station Archbishop Angelo Raffaele Panzetta and the Imam of the Mosque in Cutro walk side-by-side praying together for the souls of the victims the bishop has his hands joined in prayer; the imam holds the rug used by Muslims for their five daily prayers like when the two kneeled together before the 66 bodies lined up on 1 March as they lay in state in the only structure in Cruto large enough to host them As soon as Bishop Panzetta arrived on the beach after kissing the cross and blessing those present he immediately announced that the Stations of the Cross was being held "in union with our Muslim brothers and sisters The “Migrantes” Office said thousands of silent citizens felt it was their duty to be present A woman who had come to pay tribute to the victims with her husband said she felt “personally involved in this tragedy that has knocked at our doors." The crowd making its way on the sand is made up of people from all walks of life: firemen and they sang songs of praise to Jesus: "How can I be shipwrecked if you are at the helm..." they prayed as they followed the indications of the parish priest of Botricello who was among the first to reach the shore when the tragedy happened During the Way of the Cross that commemorates Christ's journey to Mount Calvary on the day of the crucifixion prayers are said for innocent children who die from injustice for those who suffer due to the tragedies of the world or because of 'exclusive and selfish policies' almost as if to contribute to the sorrowful atmosphere before the remains of the shipwreck locals and even the survivors themselves who have visited what has been dubbed the 'beach of sorrow' in recent days have gathered these sad items and arranged them under improvised crosses made of wood and wire an elderly woman kneels and lays a red rosary then joins the crowd that reaches as far as the surrounding hillsides to listen to the archbishop's closing words beside the wreckage "Jesus is the open and welcoming heart of God towards humanity we asked ourselves: ‘are we still Christians But how is it that after 2000 years of walking behind Jesus we have not really learnt to welcome each other There is something wrong in our lives...," Bishop Panzetta says "If we truly welcome Jesus,” he continues “we must allow our hearts to be changed and not allow fear to make us cold-hearted." we must have an open heart like Jesus and therefore we do not want a Europe closed in by barbed wire a Europe in which it is difficult to find a welcome.” those who have lost their lives in this sea are the flesh of Jesus Because we have the responsibility to generate and fuel a climate of welcome “Let us ask the Lord for this gift of conversion: we want to be hospitable communities,” the bishop concludes saying “It’s in the DNA of our people “Let us not allow fear to make us cold-hearted communities The Eternal Rest Prayer concludes the Stations of the Cross The Imam thanks everyone for the support shown to the Islamic community Together with a priest he throws a wreath of white flowers into the sea This gesture takes everyone’s memory back ten years when Pope Francis made the same symbolic gesture to honour the memory of the dead went into the arms of the Lord on Thursday 2016 surrounded by his loving family following a long illness New Jersey and was the son of the late Nicholas and Rose (Gerardi) Cutro Nick was an All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference running and defensive back who helped Shippensburg University win the Conference (PSAC) championship in 1957 with a record of 6-0-1 He led the team in rushing with 675 yards on 36 carriers and still holds the school record for the most yards per carry with an average of 13.2 yards and he was inducted into Shippensburg University Hall of Fame He was head coach of Bayonne High School and for St where his team won the state championship in 1960 and 1961 and they inducted him into their Hall of Fame He was a scout and coach for the NFL and placed 52 players in various teams including the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns One of his biggest successes was the building of the Boardwalk Restaurant in Lake George which he and his wife Caroline owned and operated for 30 years he was the president of the Lake George Winter Carnival He also owned a thoroughbred farm where he bred and raced horses Nick and Caroline had lots of fun traveling around the world crabbing and catching lobster with his wife and good friend and fishing buddy Dr He had many more friends and would love telling them humorous stories his wife and friends talked him into writing a book “FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME” which has been published and can be found on Amazon His most favorite thing to do was watch his children Besides his parents he is predeceased by his stepfather Left to cherish his memory include his loving wife and cheerleader Carol Lee Labruzzo and her husband Patrick of Lake George and their five children A memorial mass will be celebrated at noon Thursday Nov Burial will be private and at the convenience of the family prior to the service at the Sacred Heart Church memorial donations may be made to the Lake George Youth Commission For those who wish a special remembrance may be made to the family by visiting www.sbfuneralhome.com Arrangements are under the direction of the Regan Denny Stafford Funeral Home Former Warren County CO sentenced to 8 1/3-25 years for domestic violence Sheriff’s Office investigating Amish buggy crash in Jackson South Glens Falls woman killed in fatal Kingsbury vehicle crash The Queensbury Town Board has come out in opposition to Central Apothecary Queensbury Union Free School District is mourning after the unexpected passing of long-time Queensbury Middle School counselor Michelle Sulliv… Pope Francis made that heartfelt appeal for the victims of a recent migrant tragedy on the Mediterranean as he spoke to pilgrims gathered for the Angelus prayer on Sunday At least 70 people died last Sunday when their flimsy boat broke apart on a shoal off the coast of the southern town of Cutro The boat had set out from Turkey a few days earlier with around 170 passengers aboard The Pope expressed his sorrow for the tragedy “I express my appreciation and gratitude to local residents and institutions for their solidarity and welcome for these brothers and sisters of ours I renew my appeal that such tragedies not be repeated.” Pope Francis condemned the role of human traffickers in contributing to such tragedies saying they “throw away the lives of so many innocent people.” “May these voyages of hope never again turn into voyages of death,” he said He also prayed that God might give everyone the “strength to understand and mourn.” “May the clear waters of the Mediterranean never again be bloodied by such tragic accidents!” What is this page?The website you are 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