(ANSA) - ROME, JUL 30 - The Italian coastguard on Sunday denied media reports from survivors of a migrant disaster at Cutro in Calabria that killed at least 94 people which claimed that one of their helicopters had been monitoring the doomed boat on the eve of its crashing into the rocks on February 26.
The alleged presence of a coastguard chopper, survivors claimed, allegedly meant that Italian authorities were allegedly more aware of the boat's difficulties than they have previously said.
"With regard to the news relaunched this morning by some newspapers, concerning the alleged presence in the air on 25 February of an Italian Coast Guard helicopter, in the vicinity of the boat that was subsequently shipwrecked in Cutro on the morning of 26 February, we deny - as is evident from the flight orders of the Coast Guard air bases - that there were Italian Coast Guard helicopters in the air, as instead reported by the testimonies cited by the same national newspapers", the coastguard said in a statement.
Italian authorities have said they had no prior warning of the boat being in dire straits. Prosecutors are probing possible delays in rescue efforts.
(ANSA).