Termini Imerese prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio confirmed the investigation has been launched, but said no suspect is currently identified.
“We are only in the initial phase of the investigation. We can’t exclude any sort of development at present,” he told reporters at a news conference.
Cartosio said his team will carefully consider each possible element of responsibility, including those of the ship's captain, the crew, individuals in charge of supervision, the ship-builder and others.