Italy gets jurisdiction in India marines case

(ANSA) - ROME, JUL 2 - The International Tribunal of Arbitration on Thursday ruled in Italy's favour in the case of two Italian marines accused of killing two Indian fishermen off the southern Indian coast in February 2012 - but Italy will have to pay India compensation for the loss of life.
    The court gave Italy jurisdiction in the case of Marina Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone, who fired on the fishermen after mistaking them for pirates while on duty off the coast of Kerala on the merchant ship Enrica Lexie.
    India was denied jurisdiction over the pair of fusiliers.
    The men's immunity was recognised.
    The tribunal's ruling was announced by the Italian foreign ministry.
    In ordering compensation to be paid, the court said "Italy violated freedom of navigation and thus will have to compensate India for the loss of human lives, the material damage to their vessel and the moral damage suffered by the commander and other members of the Indian trawler Saint Anthony".
    The tribunal urged the two countries to come to an agreement on the compensation to be paid.
    The Italian foreign ministry said Italy would restart criminal proceedings in the case.
    The arbitration tribunal first sat on the case in The Hague in November 2015. (ANSA).