Libya sorry for shooting at Italian fishing boat
BBC, 18 September: Libya has apologised to Italy after one of its
patrol boats fired machine-gun shots at a Sicilian fishing trawler. The
trawler returned to Sicily on Sunday pock-marked with bullet holes. None
of its 10 crew were injured.
The patrol boat was one of six supplied by Italy to Libya to help
prevent migrants crossing the Mediterranean.
Italian ministers called the incident "serious", but said it was a
mistake and would not affect relations between the two countries.
Several Italian military personnel were on board the patrol boat
providing technical assistance to the Libyans, according to Italian
Interior Minister Roberto Maroni.
"What took place the other night should not have happened and Libya
has apologised," Mr Maroni said.
"I imagine they mistook the fishing boat for a ship carrying illegal
immigrants, but we will check what happened with an investigation."
Gaspare Marrone, the captain, told the Corriere della Sera newspaper
that it was "clear" that the crew were fishermen, dismissing any idea of
a misunderstanding.
"They shot to hit us and they could have killed us," he said. "We all
lay down hoping we wouldn't be hit."
Mr Marrone said the patrol boat had tried to stop the trawler and
then pursued it, firing at intervals of 15-20 minutes.
Earlier, Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said the Libyans
had been told to fire into the air, but the bullets had still somehow
hit the trawler.He said the Ariete had been fishing illegally.
Italy recently signed a deal with Libya in order to help curb flows
of illegal immigrants travelling by boat from North Africa to the
Sicilian islands.
The number of migrants has dropped sharply since the accord came into
effect, but activists say the agreement does not protect migrants'
rights.-BBC
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