The trial over the delayed rescue operations linked to the deadly 2023 migrant boat shipwreck off the coast of Cutro in southern Italy has been postponed before it could officially begin. The case was delayed on January 14 after a change in the panel of judges assigned to hear the trial, according to Italian media reports.
The shipwreck happened in February 2023 near Steccato di Cutro in the Calabria region. The boat, named Summer Love, was carrying migrants when it sank close to the Italian coast. At least 94 people lost their lives in the tragedy, including 35 children. Some victims were only a few months old, while others were never found and are still listed as missing.
The decision to postpone the trial was announced at the Crotone court on what was supposed to be the first hearing day. The case could not proceed as planned because the court section originally assigned to the trial is already fully occupied every Wednesday with a large mafia-related case involving more than 100 defendants.
As a result, the Cutro case was reassigned to a new panel of judges. The new judges are Chief Justice Alfonso Scibona, alongside Giuseppe Collazzo and Glauco Panattoni. With the change, the court decided to move the start of the trial to January 30.
The new judges also signed an order banning television cameras from filming inside the courtroom. Only the court’s technical staff will be allowed to record proceedings. However, journalists will still be allowed to attend the hearings and report on the trial.
Six people are facing charges in the case. Four of them are members of Italy’s Financial Police, while the other two are from the Coastal Police. Prosecutors are investigating whether rescue efforts were delayed and whether faster action could have saved lives.
There are 86 plaintiffs involved in the trial, including survivors of the shipwreck, relatives of those who died, and several non-governmental organisations. The presence of NGOs has caused debate, with a police union raising concerns about possible pressure on the judges. Lawyers for the plaintiffs responded by saying that, in a country governed by law, victims and their representatives have the right to be present in court.
Several NGOs, including Emergency, Mediterranea Saving Humans, Sea-Watch, SOS Humanity, SOS Méditerranée, and Louise Michel, expressed concern over the postponement. In a joint statement, they said the delay must not reduce access to justice for victims’ families, many of whom feel abandoned. They said the families believe they have been forgotten by Italy and that political promises made after the tragedy have not been fulfilled.