Nato blamed for boat deaths

NATO and coastguards were criticised yesterday for failing to aid a boat of migrants adrift in the Mediterranean Sea during last year’s military campaign against Libya.

A report by a Council of Europe committee said only nine of 72 people on board survived after it drifted for two weeks without assistance when its engine failed.

“Nato failed to react to the distress calls, even though there were military vessels under its control in the boat’s vicinity when the distress call was sent,” said the report.

Nato rejected the findings of the report.