Italy's foreign minister Antonio Tajani is understood to have taken part in a government meeting on Monday following a fresh migrant boat tragedy off Libya just a week after a shipwreck near the Calabrian coast in which at least 79 people died.
Tajani and deputy premier Matteo Salvini took part in the meeting via videolink, Adnkronos learned from sources. Premier Giorgia Meloni convened the meeting, which was also attended by interior minister Matteo Piantedosi, defence minister Guido Crosetto and intelligence chiefs, the sources said.
Thirty people were missing and 17 were rescued in the central Mediterranean on Sunday after their boat capsized in bad weather, said Italy's coastguard, who were repeatedly warned on Saturday that the boat was in distress, according to the Alarm Phone charity.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday from Tel Aviv during a visit to Israel, Tajani denied the Italian state was responsible for the distaer.
"Knowing Italy's coast guard, its navy and finance police, they never leave anyone unaided," Tajani stated.
Centre-left politicians in Italy and elsewhere in Europe have attacked the Meloni government over Sunday's shipwreck and the 26 February migrant boat disaster off Cutro, Calabria, in which 33 children were among those who perished.
