On the night between February 25 and 26, 2023, off the coast of Steccato di Cutro in Italy's southern region of Calabria, 94 migrants lost their lives in a shipwreck, including 35 minors, with an unknown number of others still missing.

An investigation has found that "inactivity" and "omissions" allegedly played a role in the Summer Love vessel's fatal collision with rocks near the coast. The public prosecutor's office has asked that six soldiers -- four from the financial police and two from the port authority -- be charged with negligent shipwreck and multiple cases of manslaughter.

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Salvini and Piantedosi express solidarity

Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, who is also leader of the right-wing League party, expressed his "human, professional, and political solidarity with the six military officials."

"Certain magistrates should think a thousand times before accusing women and men who risk their lives every day to save the lives of others," he said.

Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi also expressed his solidarity with the six military officials and said that he was "confident" that they would be "able to show their lack of involvement."

"I have the highest level of respect for the work of judges and I am confident that the judiciary will be able to render justice in this case," he added.

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The request made by deputy prosecutor Pasquale Festa has been filed in the office of the preliminary hearing judge of the Crotone court. Those charged will have to appear for a preliminary hearing, which will be set in the coming months.

In addition to alleged "inactivity" and "omissions", the investigation report found a lack of compliance with what had been decided in a technical table that in 2022 indicated operating modalities for interventions at sea on the basis of navigation rights.

Those that may have to stand trial are: Giuseppe Grillo, shift supervisor of the operating room of the Crotone financial police, employed by the air-naval operating section (ROAN) of Vibo Valentia; Antonino Lopresti, ROAN tactical command and control official; Nicolino Vardaro, Taranto air-naval group commander; Nicola Nania, inspector in service at Rome's national center for maritime coordination and rescue of the Coast Guard; and Francesca Perfido, inspection official of the Reggio Calabria port authority.

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Charges against the soldiers

Lopresti is accused of ordering a vessel out to sea on the evening of February 25, despite the European border agency Frontex having already sighted the Summer Love vessel. The ordered vessel was forced to turn back due to rough weather conditions.

Lopresti then allegedly requested the deployment of the Barbarisi patrol boat in Crotone from the Taranto air-naval group, under the command of another officer under investigation, Nicolino Vardaro, despite knowing that the patrol boat was out of service due to the adverse weather.

Commander Lippolis, who was in charge of the Vibo Valentia ROAN at that time, is accused of not having taken charge of the operation and not having asked for assistance from the port authority, thereby delaying the activation of rescue operations.

Grillo faces allegations of failing to communicate the navigational difficulties encountered by naval vessels, while Vardaro is accused of ordering the Barbarisi patrol boat out to sea with a delayed response to the initial report. Nania and Perfido are accused of not classifying the incident as a search and rescue operation, with Nania further alleged to have neglected to pinpoint the location of the distressed vessel.

All those under investigation deny these accusations. Meanwhile, Economy and Finance Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti has expressed "full support" for the soldiers involved and "full confidence in the judiciary."

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