Italian media claim yacht that capsized was not on simple birthday cruise, as authorities probe why vessel with capacity for 15 had over 20 on board; Israeli victim named.
Two days
after a tour boat capsized on an Italian lake, killing four people, including
an Israeli man, local media on Tuesday continued to delve into what those on
board were up to, with some outlets suggesting the official claim of a birthday
party was covering up an operational meeting between Israeli and Italian
intelligence agents.
Israel’s
Foreign Ministry has already said that the deceased Israeli man was a retired
member of the security forces, while Italy’s security service has admitted that
two of the others — a 62-year-old man and a 53-year-old woman — were employees.
“The two
employees, belonging to the intelligence department, were taking part in a
convivial meeting organized to celebrate the birthday of one of the group,” it
said in a statement.
The
Israeli victim was named by Italian media as 50-year-old Erez Shimoni.
His body
was being transported back to Israel for burial, Hebrew-language press reported
early Wednesday.
Shimoni
befriended the Italian officers after they were acquainted through their work,
according to Hebrew-language media reports.
The
fourth person who died, a Russian national, was reportedly the captain’s wife.
The Corriere
della Sera daily newspaper reported that the gathering was a working meeting of
intelligence agents.
Other
Italian outlets also suggested that the agents on the boat were up to something
more than a celebration. According to reports, 19 out of the 23 people on board
were serving or past Israeli and Italian agents.
“It was
an opportunity to exchange information between agents of the two countries,” La
Stampa reported.
Ten
other Israelis were reportedly on the cruise and were said to have been quickly
flown back to Israel on a private jet known to be used by Israeli authorities.
Flight tracking sites showed the plane set off from Tel Aviv on Monday morning,
arrive at Milan airport and soon set off back to Ben Gurion Airport. They
reportedly did not wait to return the rented cars they were using during their
trip.
The tour
boat capsized on Italy’s Lake Maggiore on Sunday in strong winds. It reportedly
set sail despite warnings of severe weather approaching. Italian authorities
have stressed it sank due to the weather rather than an act of sabotage.
Authorities
have also opened an investigation into the boat operators as it had a maximum
capacity of 15, but at least 23 were on board.
Giovanni
Buzzi, mayor of Sesto Calende, where the disaster happened, told Kan he did not
think there was anything unusual going on other than the tragedy itself.
Buzzi
said he did not know what the purpose of the boat meeting was, but “in my
opinion, there is nothing unusual here beyond a serious tragedy, an accident, a
simply horrible accident, but simply an accident.”
He said
some of those on board were picked up by other watercraft while others managed
to swim to the shore.
The
president of the Lombardy region, Attilio Fontana, said Sunday that a
“whirlwind” had caused the 16-meter (52-foot) long boat to overturn.
The
names of the four victims, including the Israeli, were previously published by
La Repubblica.
AFP
contributed to this report.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/sunken-italian-boat-said-to-have-hosted-operational-meeting-of-israeli-local-agents/