No action' in Italy-India marines case, rules sea law tribunal

Berlin, Aug 24
An international tribunal on Monday ruled that it would not take action over a deadly 2012 maritime incident that sparked a diplomatic dispute between Italy and India, a media report said.

The 21-member International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, based in German port town of Hamburg issued the ruling with 15 in favour and six against, Italian news agency ANSA reported.

The court, which is mandated by the UN, also invited both parties to "suspend ongoing judicial initiatives and to abstain from undertaking new ones that could aggravate the dispute."

Two Italian marines serving aboard an oil tanker Enrica Lexie as part of an anti-piracy mission allegedly fired shots that killed two Indian fishermen on a boat off India's southern Kerala state.

India detained the two marines and a court case is pending, while Italy has challenged India's jurisdiction over the case.

Italy had asked the court to allow Salvatore Girone, one of the marines, to be returned to Italy from India and for fellow marine Massimiliano Latorre, who was granted temporary leave by India for medical treatment last year, to remain in Italy.

Girone has been living at Italy's embassy in New Delhi.

The marines have denied shooting the fishermen deliberately but have conceded they mistook the fishing boat for a pirate vessel and fired what were supposed to be warning shots.