Even as the killing of two fishermen by the Naval guards of the Italian merchant ship on Wednesday has been taking the form of a diplomatic row between India and Italy, police and Coast Guard personnel are questioning the crew of the oil tanker Enrica Lexie after bringing the ship to the Kochi port this morning.
Naval guards stationed on the Italian merchant ship, fired on the two Indian fishermen, Valentine alias Jelestine (45) and Ajesh Binki (25), who went for fishing along with 9 others in a boat from Neendakara in Kollam district and claimed they had thwarted a piracy attempt.
The firing incident took place 30 miles off the west of the southern Indian coast and the Italian ship crew claimed they ordered firing as their vessel had been attacked by the people who they thought were pirates.
However, Vice-Admiral K.N. Sushil, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern Naval Command, told media persons this morning in Kochi that the claim of the Italian ship crew was not true. He said he sent the fast-attack craft INS Kabra to ascertain the claims of attack on the Italian ship but found no evidence to substantiate their claim. “The fisher men were unarmed. How can they attack the ship,” he said nailing the lies of the Italian crew.
Italian Ambassador summoned
External Affairs Ministry officials summoned the Italian Ambassador Giacomo Sanfelice di Monteforte on Thursday and lodged a strong protest against the action of their tanker crew.
The ambassador later told journalists in Delhi they would fully cooperate with the Indian investigators probing the incident.
India takes serious view
Defence Minister A.K. Antony told reporters in Delhi that the issue was very serious and India wanted to send a strong signal to the ships deploying their own guards to save their ships from the threat of sea pirates in the Indian Ocean. Antony said everybody should follow the norms and the laws.
Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia announced
The Kerala government today announced an ex-gratia of Rs.5 lakh each to the deceased fishermen. (JUBS)
