Italian marines meet family members

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:  They were almost on the verge of a breakdown and the words left unsaid had the impact of a thousand ones which were uttered.The family members of Latorre Massimiliano and Salvatore Girone, the Italian marines arrested on charges of shooting two Kerala fishermen, met their dear ones at the Central Prison, Poojappura, on Thursday.The two men, arrested in February and brought to the prison on March 4, met their family members for the first time in almost two months.Salvatore Girone’s wife Ardito Giovanne and his parents Girone Michele and Ferrara Marie were allowed to meet him, while Latorre Massimiliano’s sister Latorre Franca and nephew Daddario Cristian visited Massimiliano.The family members were accompanied by Italian military attache Admiral Franco Faure, Commander Castrignano, Escort Officer Sciruicchio and Italian embassy official Ferro.The meeting took place in the jail superintendent’s room. The Italians, who arrived at the prison at 10.50 a.m., spent around two-and-a-half-hours there.“They reached the prison straight from the airport. No gifts were exchanged,” said the prison officials.The family members of both the marines have stayed back here and they will be visiting them again on Friday or Saturday.Both the families extended their condolences to the families of the deceased fishermen, Admiral Franco Faure told mediapersons. The families have also expressed satisfaction over the arrangements in the jail. They were glad to see the marines in good health and expressed their gratitude to all who made the visit possible and to the prison personnel, he said.The family members of the marines had arrived at the international airport around 9.15 a.m.