Today marks the 35th anniversary of the Moby Prince tragedy, the worst disaster in Italian civil shipping, which occurred on the evening of April 10, 1991, off the port of Livorno . The fire that engulfed the ferry bound for Olbia killed 140 people, including 26 Sardinians, with only one survivor , the young Neapolitan cabin boy Alessio Bertrandt.

"It is 35 years since the tragedy involving the Moby Prince ferry," said President Sergio Mattarella. " The Republic extends its deepest sympathies to the families of those who lost their lives, to the city of Livorno, which will never forget the tragedy we experienced, and to the many who have worked over time to reconstruct the facts and responsibilities, successfully clarifying aspects that were long obscure, even though, unfortunately, questions remain that have not received exhaustive answers . One hundred and forty deaths are the unbearable price of the most serious accident in our civil navigation. A tragedy that could and should have been avoided, yet it was followed, moreover, by disorganization and delays in managing the rescue operations. From the memory and remembrance we make today, we must renew our commitment to ensure that similar events cannot be repeated in the future, by raising awareness of prevention regulations and safety standards at sea. This is a commitment from the institutions and the entire community."

INITIATIVES – Today, the Municipality of Livorno, under the patronage of the Chamber of Deputies, the Tuscany Region, the Province of Livorno, the "140 Relatives of the Victims of the Moby Prince" Association, and the "10 Aprile Victims of the Moby Prince," is celebrating the anniversary with "Lest We Forget" initiatives.

Numerous family members of the victims were present, along with representatives of the respective governments with their respective banners, and representatives of local, provincial, and regional institutions. Pietro Pittalis, president of the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry into the causes of the Moby Prince disaster, was representing the President of the Chamber of Deputies.

The program includes the laying of a wreath at the "Koningin Juliana" sculpture, a monument commemorating the victims of the Moby Prince. At 12:00 PM, a religious service will be held in the Cathedral, officiated by the Bishop of Livorno, Simone Giusti. At 2:30 PM, Mayor Luca Salvetti will greet the victims' families and representatives of the institutions in the Council Chamber at the Palazzo Civico. Following this, at 4:30 PM, the procession will depart from Piazza del Municipio and reach the Porto Mediceo, where at 5:00 PM, a cushion of roses sent by the President of the Republic and a laurel wreath provided by the City Council will be placed at the plaque dedicated to the Victims of the Moby Prince (Piazza dell'Arsenale). The names of the victims will be read and roses will be thrown into the sea. The ceremony will conclude with the victims' relatives presenting a bouquet of roses to the "Amaranto Lions" rugby team, which the athletes will throw into the port of Olbia during their trip to Sardinia. (ANSA)

THE RECONSTRUCTION – April 10, 1991, Livorno, 10:25 PM. It's pitch dark when the Navarma ferry Moby Prince, just having set sail from Calata Carrara, is about to leave the Livorno harbor heading for Olbia, Sardinia.

The irreparable happens: the ship crashes into the Agip Abruzzo tanker, owned by the Eni group, loaded with Iranian oil. The collision causes a massive fire, fueled by oil leaking from the tanker. Virtually everyone dies: 140 crew and passengers, 26 of them Sardinians. The only survivor is the young Neapolitan cabin boy.

The tanker's crew was quickly rescued, but the Moby Prince was literally ignored. Help never arrived, and its occupants were left to perish. Of the 140 bodies, only one was found in the water, the only one drowning.

(Unioneonline/vl)

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