India summons Italian ambassador over alleged killing of fishermen

Feb 16, 2012, 10:31 GMT

New Delhi - India Thursday summoned the Italian ambassador to protest the alleged killing of two fishermen by security crew members of an Italian cargo ship, news reports said.

The fishermen were reportedly shot dead off the southern state of Kerala late Wednesday by security guards on the Italian ship Enrica Lexie, who apparently mistook them for pirates, according to broadcaster CNN-IBN.

The ship had since docked at the port city of Cochin and its crew were being questioned by the police.

Foreign Ministry officials met Italian ambassador Giacomo Sanfelice di Montefort and asked him to ensure that the captain of the ship cooperated with the investigation.

The Italian embassy has said that the Italian ship fired in self-defence after it was attacked by armed men.

'The facts of the case have yet to be clarified. We are working in close cooperation with Indian authorities,' di Montefort said after the meeting.

'It is a very sad incident, but I want to underline that the Italians moved the ship voluntarily into the port to clarify on the events,' he said.

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