The presumed captain of the migrant boat in which 700 people died off the coast of Libya has appeared in an Italian court.
The prosecutors asked that Mohammed Ali Malek,27, a Tunisian be charged with homicide and people trafficking.
Meanwhile Mohammed denies he was in charge of the heavily overloaded fishing boat but was a migrant himself .
His lawyer, Massimo Ferrante, said of Mohammed, "He says he's a migrant like all the others and he paid his fare to go on the boat".
Catania chief prosecutor, Giovanni Salvi however said the judge had ordered both Mohammed and 25 year old Syrian, Mahmud Bikhit who is alleged to be a member of the crew to be detained in custody.
Mohammed and Mahmud were arrested on Monday in Sicily when they arrived with other survivors.
There was little emotion from Mohammed when he appeared in court in the Sicilian City of Catania where he will face some of the survivors who will subsequently give testimony.
It is alleged that he mishandled the overcrowded fishing boat which led it to collide with a Portuguse merchant ship that was coming to its assistance.
Over 700 migrants died in the mediterranean sea following the accident.
photo: Reuters
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