CBS News
Coastguard members, police officers accused of manslaughter over “voyage of death” that killed 94 migrants off Italy’s coast
Italian prosecutors investigating a shipwreck which killed 94 migrants in 2023 accused two members of the coastguard and four police officers Tuesday of involuntary manslaughter. Italy’s customs police previously said that crossing organizers charged 8,000 euros each for the “voyage of death.”
Prosecutors in Crotone, a city near the shipwreck off southern Italy, must now ask a judge to rule whether the six stand trial for the tragedy.
The victims, including many children, died when their overcrowded boat sank in stormy weather in the early hours of a February morning just off the region of Calabria.
The disaster sparked outrage amid allegations authorities did not react quickly enough to reports of an overloaded vessel in the area. Aid groups at the scene said many of the passengers hailed from Afghanistan, including entire families, as well as from Pakistan, Syria and Iraq.
Critics of far-right Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said the government’s policy of treating migrant boats as a law enforcement issue, rather than a humanitarian one, may have fatally delayed the rescue.
European Union border agency Frontex flagged the vessel to the Italians late in the evening as the weather worsened.
The four financial police officers stand accused of failing to communicate key information to the coastguard, because they did not mention the sailing difficulties they were having due to the rough sea conditions, prosecutors said in a statement Tuesday.
The two members of the coastguard are accused of “not having acquired the necessary information to have a precise idea” of what the financial police were up to and of having therefore made “an erroneous assessment” of the situation.
The prosecutors said coastguard vessels, designed for rough seas, could have intervened.
The coastguard is supposed to rescue all vessels carrying migrants, as boats run by human traffickers are inevitably dangerously overcrowded and ill-equipped.
There was “obvious negligence in the application of the rules imposed by European and national laws in this type of situation,” the prosecutors said.
Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti, who oversees the financial police, said on Instagram he “strongly defend(s)” both the financial police and the coastguard, and he was “certain that they have always acted exclusively for the public good.”
More than a dozen of those killed were said to be children — which hit the first responders particularly hard.
“It was a spine-chilling scene,” Firefighter Inspector Giuseppe Larosa said after the disaster, according to The Associated Press. “Many bodies disseminated on the beach. Among them many children… The thing that struck me the most was their silence. The terror in their eyes and the fact that they were mute. Silent.”
Around 105,000 migrants came to Italy in 2022, roughly 38,000 more than the previous year. The country is a regular destination for migrants trying to reach Europe, and it has often pushed other countries in the region to do more.
IOM, the U.N. migration agency, has recorded more than 30,000 deaths and disappearances in the central Mediterranean since 2014.
CBS News
Can the Tim Walz, JD Vance debate shape the 2024 election?
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.
CBS News
Hurricane Helene flooding poses multiple health risks. Here’s what to know.
Hurricane Helene’s wake of massive rains and flooding isn’t just destructive to property — it is also a major health and safety risk, leaving residents in the storm’s path stranded and potentially exposed to waterborne illnesses and other dangers.
As authorities rush to airdrop supplies, restore power and clear roads, the number of storm-related deaths climbed past 100 across the Southeast.
In the devastated city of Asheville, North Carolina, Megan Drye, who was rescued, watched as her 7-year-old son Micah and her parents got swept away into the flood. They were stranded on a roof when it collapsed into the water.
Vulnerable populations, including the elderly, children and those with pre-existing health conditions, are particularly at risk for flood-related hazards, internal medicine physician Dr. Shoshana Ungerleider told CBS News.
But experts say there are a variety of health risks to be aware of when it comes to floodwaters. Here’s what to be mindful of.
Floodwater drowning, injuries and diseases
Even for skilled swimmers, swift flood waters can quickly sweep anyone and anything in its path.
“Unfortunately, we’ve seen a trend on social media of people dancing and jumping head first into Hurricane Helene floodwaters,” said Peter Duncanson, disaster expert at ServiceMaster Restore, adding this underscores hazards associated with engaging with floodwaters.
Aside from the water itself being dangerous, floodwaters can also conceal downed electric lines and open manholes or drains, Duncanson said. Floodwaters can also carry harmful debris that can lead to injuries like glass and metal as well as rodents and snakes.
Then there’s the dangers you can’t see with a naked eye like pathogens.
“Mostly we worry about what we call ‘enteric pathogens’ — the same kind of bacteria that cause food-borne illness, like certain strains of E. coli, salmonella, shigella and yersinia. We also worry about norovirus and hepatitis A,” Dr. Daniel Kuritzkes, chief of the division of infectious diseases at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, told CBS News.
If drinking water becomes contaminated, drink only bottled (or boiled) water until advised by local authorities that the water is safe to consume, Kuritzkes said.
“Remember that you need clean water to be able to wash fruits and vegetables, so either peel or cook those before eating if you’re unable to secure a safe water supply,” he said.
Open wounds or rashes exposed to floodwater can also become infected, Dr. Robert Glatter, an emergency physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, previously told CBS News.
Avoid direct contact with floodwater whenever possible by wearing gloves and waterproof clothing and never walk barefoot through a flood.
“Often if your feet get waterlogged that’s a set-up for getting infections, including fungal infections between the toes,” said Glatter. “Wear high boots and keep your feet as dry as possible.”
Health impacts beyond flooding
Once water recedes, mold is another major issue that can trigger asthma and difficulty breathing, watery eyes and allergy-type symptoms, said Dr. Peggy Duggan, executive vice president and chief medical officer at Tampa General Hospital.
“That is why it is important to remove all furniture and items as well as drywall to mitigate the risk of mold,” Duggan said.
Glatter said carpeting and fabric-based furniture should not be salvaged.
“Bacteria can leach onto fabrics and lead to airborne infections,” he said. “I would not recommend holding onto anything with fabric that absorbs floodwater.”
Mold can appear in as little as 24 to 48 hours after floodwater recedes.
Loss of power and no access to air conditioning are also health risks to be cautious of, experts say.
“The loss of power and no access to air conditioning can increase risk to patients who have chronic medical conditions like asthma, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and cardiovascular disease, and heart failure,” Duggan said.
Mental health after Hurricane Helene
It’s not just physical health that can be impact by the hurricane’s devastation — mental health is another concern.
“Surviving Hurricane Helene can have significant impacts on your mental health,” Courtney Morgan, a licensed therapist and founder of Louisville, Kentucky, based mental health therapy practice Counseling Unconditionally, told CBS News.
Feeling scared, hopeless or isolated may come up during or after a hurricane or another natural disaster, she said.
“Many people have lost everything in these disasters, including their homes and even loved ones. Experiencing grief is challenging regardless of the circumstances; however, trying to navigate grief in the midst of a natural disaster is exceptionally difficult, as you often do not have the means to prepare a funeral or other arrangements for your loved ones. Additionally, you may experience survivors guilt if they know that other people have lost their lives,” Morgan said.
Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, and anxiety are mental health concerns that frequently emerge after such catastrophic events, Ungerleider said.
“During a natural disaster crisis, prioritizing mental health is critical for overall wellbeing and resilience. It’s important to first recognize and manage stress reactions early,” she said, adding a few suggestions to support your mental well-being:
- Maintain routines as much as possible to “create a sense of stability amidst chaos.”
- Stay connected to loved ones when possible (either virtually or in-person) for emotional support and to reduce feelings of isolation.
- Seek professional help from a mental health provider if symptoms like persistent anxiety, depression, or sleep disturbances are overwhelming, she added.
contributed to this report.
CBS News
Trump visits Georgia to tour Helene damage
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.