In the aftermath of the Cutro shipwreck – in which at least 94 people died, including at least 35 children – ResQ’s attorneys took action together with those of other organizations – starting with Asgi, Arci and the other entities involved in sea rescue – to consider a collective complaint to the Public Prosecutor’s Office. Among the crime hypotheses that could be found in the tragic events in Cutro, in our opinion, are multiple manslaughter, negligent shipwreck and hit-and-run. The complaint was handed over to the Crotone Public Prosecutor’s Office on Thursday, March 9. On Saturday, March 11, ResQ volunteers will be at the national demonstration organized in Cutro to once again say “No more deaths at sea.”
Here is the joint press note and the list of associations that signed it.
Cutro shipwreck: Associations file collective complaint
More than 40 associations from Italian and European civil society have filed a collective complaint with the Public Prosecutor’s Office at the Court of Crotone asking for light to be shed on last Sunday’s shipwreck in Steccato di Cutro, which cost the lives of at least 72 people, including many children.
“In the face of so many deaths and who knows how many missing, it is incumbent on us to shed light,” the organizations state. “We want to make our contribution to the ascertainment of the facts, there can be no gray areas on possible responsibilities in the rescue machine.”
Finally, the associations renew their appeal to Italy and Europe: to drastically reduce the risk of new tragedies, an adequate and proactive search and rescue system at sea must be put in place as soon as possible.
The associations and acronyms that signed the complaint are:
AOI – ASSOCIAZIONE ONG ITALIANE
Associazione Contro gli Abusi in Divisa (A.C.A.D.)
Associazione per gli Studi Giuridici sull’Immigrazione (A.S.G.I.)
Associazione Clinica Legale per i Diritti Umani
Associazione Progetto Accoglienza,
ARCI
Borderline-Europe
Casa dei Diritti Sociali
CIAC
Comitato Verità e Giustizia per i Nuovi Desaparecidos
Legambiente Nazionale
Consorzio Italiano di Solidarietà – ufficio rifugiati ONLUS (ICS)
Emergency
Fondazione Gruppo Abele
Gruppo Lavoro Rifugiati
International Justice and Human Rights Centre
Legal Team Italia
Medici Senza Frontiere
Associazione Don Vincenzo Matrangolo
Rete Comunità Solidali
Open Arms Italia
Oxfam Italia
SOS MEDITERRANEE Italia
Progetto Mem.Med – Memoria Mediterranea
Mediterranea Saving Humans
PROGETTO DIRITTI
WatchTheMed Alarm Phone
Sea-Watch
Sea Eye
RESQ – PEOPLE SAVING PEOPLE
Diritti di Frontiera – Laboratorio di Teoria e Pratica dei Diritti
Fondazione Roberto Franceschi
A Buon Diritto
Confederazione Unione Sindacale di Base
Iuventa-crew
Louise Michel
Associazione Comunità Progetto Sud
Medici del Mondo Italia
Campagna LasciateCIEntrare
Melting Pot
MoCi Cosenza
Coordinamento Nazionale Comunità di Accoglienza
La Petite Bibliothèque