Argument with Italians

Conspiracy theories surrounding the notion that the Simshar could have been sunk in a revenge attack by Italian fishermen abounded last year.

The inquiry report dismisses this speculation but confirms that there was an incident with Italian fishermen just a few weeks before the tragedy.

Still, the report says: "If evidence which would go towards supporting any of these rumours does exist, then that evidence has knowingly by the people concerned been kept away from me," the report author says.

The whole argument took place some weeks before the tragedy over a Bit Bit - a buoy attached to a fishing line that costs €11,115 and works by means of a radio transmitter - that went missing on a previous trip, together with a line and hooks.

In his testimony, Mr Bugeja said he had tracked the Bit Bit to another boat. His father, Karmenu, urged him to let it go but a boat steered towards them and he could see someone holding up the equipment.

When Mr Bugeja started calling the other crew "thieves" the captain said he was there to return the equipment. At that point, his father took out a delfinara - harpoon used to kill tuna - and fired two shots into the sea. Mr Bugeja fails to say what sparked this behaviour.

According to Mr Bugeja, the matter was resolved and the Italian crew compensated by giving him some fishing line, some hooks and a tuna.

Stephania Carabott (picture) contradicts this in a separate interview and recounts how her husband had told her he had been extremely scared of going back on a fishing expedition with Mr Bugeja after guns were used.

Mr Carabott had told his wife that when the two crews began arguing, Mr Bugeja's father went downstairs, got a shotgun and let off the first shot. When the Italian boat tried to get away, Mr Bugeja went into the cabin and emerged with a second shotgun and fired once.

Her husband, she said, was so terrified he sought refuge in the cabin. He had told her after this misadventure: "I am working with cowboys".