An angry Indian government on Thursday summoned Italian ambassador Giacomo Sanfelice di Monteforte to the foreign office at short notice to register its strong protest over the killing of two Indian fishermen by security guards of an Italian merchant vessel on the high seas off the Kerala coast. The guards had allegedly mistaken the fishermen for pirates.
Defence sources said Wednesday’s incident had occurred outside Indian territorial waters but within India’s exclusive economic zone.
A furious defence minister A.K. Antony said the incident was “very serious and unfortunate”, adding that the Kerala police and the Coast Guard were questioning all those involved. “The investigations are on. The law will take its own course,” Mr Antony said. The Coast Guard intercepted the Italian vessel and asked it to anchor off Kochi. Sources said even if the guards had mistaken the fishermen for pirates, there was no justification for such “trigger-happy” unprovoked firing before other “defensive” measures like water cannon were deployed.
Agency reports quoting the Italians claimed the guards had followed international protocols, and flashed lights at the Indian vessel, despite which it did not stop. The ship was heading from Egypt from Singapore.
Director-general of shipping Satish B. Agnihotri said the principal officer of the mercantile marine department in Kochi will conduct a preliminary inquiry. The D-G’s office said there were six armed Italian guards on board Enrica Lexie. The Italian ship also had 19 Indian crew members.