Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has denied the government’s responsibility for the deadly recent migrant shipwreck off the coast of Calabria in the country’s south.
She told reporters that "The situation is as simple as it is tragic: We received no emergency signals from [the European border and coast guard agency] Frontex."
Meloni argued that the government "did everything possible to save lives" as soon as they "were alerted to a problem... we were not forewarned."
The prime minister added that she doesn’t plan to dismiss Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, who is under fire over his remarks that even desperate situations do not justify attempts to cross the sea in risky conditions.
Meloni’s statement came a few days after at least 70 migrants, including children, died after their wooden sailing boat broke apart off the southern Italian coast amid bad weather conditions late last week.
An Italian media outlet reported that a Turkish national has been detained on suspicion of human trafficking.
Meloni, for her part, pointed the finger at human traffickers, saying that "it is criminal to launch a boat just 20 meters long with 200 people on board in adverse weather."
The Italian government has repeatedly been slammed over its tough stance on migration, including Rome’s push for limiting the ability of NGOs’ rescue ships to dock at Italian ports.
In 2022, more than 100,000 refugees arrived in Italy, which remains one of the main landing points for those seeking to enter Europe by sea.