Article

Italy's battle to identify dead migrants

Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Author
Vittorio Piscitelli, Agata Iadicicco, Danilo De Angelis, Davide Porta, Cristina Cattaneo
Publication Year
2016
Region
Europe and Central Asia
Thematic Area
Forensics / Law & Policies
Topic
Identification / Information Management (Archive/Database/Register) / Law – International / Law – National / Management of the Dead / Migration
Access
Open access

Identification of the dead is fundamental for countless ethical and humanitarian reasons and a sometimes ignored legal obligation. Without identification, survivors are destined to the uncertainty of whether their loved ones are dead or alive, and children, spouses, parents, and siblings can suffer administrative, civil, and social repercussions. This short article desribes recent initiatives developed in Italy to identify dead migrants in the Mediterranean and provide answers to families.