«What happened a hundred meters from the beach of Steccato di Cutro at dawn on 26 February 2023 could have been avoided. And, for this reason, we want to denounce the Italian state." The position of the survivors of the shipwreck of the gulet "Summer Love", which crashed into a shoal a few meters from the shore of the Ionian Sea in Crotone, was unanimous, causing the death of 94 people, 35 of whom were minors.
Returning to Crotone a year after that tragic night, two survivors, Nigeena Mamozai, aged 24, and her sister-in-law Adiba Ander, aged 20, had never spoken about that experience which marked them forever. «We must say - says Nigeena - that the shipwreck could have been avoided. The Italian government knew of the presence of our boat. We saw a helicopter about seven hours before the wreck. And other survivors saw it too. It was a helicopter, it was at night. It wasn't a plane. We also heard the noise."
In his words, there is no lack of gratitude for the welcome received in Crotone. "It was fabulous but - he adds - we want justice and truth and family reunification from the Italian government." «We ask the Italian, German and European governments - echoes Whalidi - to ensure that humanitarian corridors are opened to bring our families who are in Afghanistan here. I lost my wife and two children in the shipwreck and I was left alone with my only surviving son, but there are many other people like me." Even for Whalidi the tragic outcome of that February 26th could have been avoided. "When we were in the middle of the sea - he adds - we saw a helicopter many times, but they didn't help us".
In Crotone and Cutro, in those days, an extraordinary solidarity contest took place . Among the inhabitants Nicolina Parise, affectionately called Nicoletta, eighty-two years old from Botricello, a municipality not far from the site of the massacre, who immediately offered the availability of some burial niches in her family tomb to accommodate the bodies of the victims: to her the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, awarded an honor. The woman, widow, mother of three children and grandmother of five grandchildren, animated by a profound Catholic faith, will be Commander of Merit of the Italian Republic . The delivery is scheduled for March 20 at the Quirinale: «This important honour, which I accept with dignity and humanity - said Nicolina Parise with a firm voice - is not a souvenir to be exhibited, but a great responsibility. I have great faith in humanity and I would like the world's powerful to lower their wings and look those who suffer from hunger and war in the eyes."
From today, between Crotone and Cutro, three days of initiatives begin for the anniversary of the shipwreck. The kick-off was given with a football match which saw around 40 people on the pitch at the Ezio Scida stadium, including glories such as Damiano Tommasi, former Serie A footballer and current mayor of Verona, and Antonio Galardo, former captain and flag of FC Crotone. Also attending the match was the ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Rome, who assured that "with the Meloni government, work is being done to allow family reunification".
(Unioneonline/D)
