(Reuters) An Italian Senate committee on Tuesday rejected a request by magistrates to investigate Matteo Salvini, head of the rightwing League party, for refusing a migrant rescue boat permission to land last year when he was interior minister.
Salvini refused to allow a ship carrying over 100 migrants rescued at sea to land in Italy in August last year, while serving in the previous coalition government.
An Italian prosecutor eventually ordered the seizure and evacuation of the ship, operated by Spanish aid group Open Arms.
The committee rejected by 13 votes to 7 a court request to proceed with an investigation on charges of alleged kidnapping of migrants. A full upper house vote could still reverse the committee decision.
