Italian Marine Latorre seeks extension of stay

New Delhi, January 7:  The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it will hear on January 12 a plea by Italian Marine Massimiliano Latorre seeking extension of his stay in Italy following heart surgery on January 5. The bench of Chief Justice H.L. Dattu and Justice A.K. Sikri said it would hear the matter on Monday after counsel K.T.S. Tulsi told the court that Chief Master Sergeant Latorre had undergone heart surgery, and has requested extension of his stay in Italy. However, Tulsi left it to the court to decide the period for which the Marine could be given extension. Latorre, along with his colleague, Sergeant Salvatore Girone, was accused of killing two Indian fishermen off the Kerala coast, apparently mistaking them for pirates in February 2012. The Marines were serving as security personnel on Italian oil tanker MT Enrica Lexie and were crossing the Indian Ocean at that time. The apex court on September 12, 2014, had allowed Latorre to go back to Italy for his treatment, recovery and rehabilitation for four months, after he suffered a brain stroke. (IANS)