Ex-Italian PM insists on clarification from Macron on 1980 mystery plane crash

Former Italian Prime Minister Giuliano Amato said on Tuesday (September 5) that French President Emmanuel Macron must explain if his country was to blame for the Italian air disaster that killed 81 people more than 40 years ago.

In the past, Italian judges have said that it was likely that a missile downed the DC-9 civilian aircraft near the island of Ustica on June 27, 1980. They were however unable to identify who was responsible for the incident which remains a mystery.

Amato was speaking with La Repubblica newspaper. He said he believed the aircraft, which belonged to now-defunct domestic airline Itavia, was possibly shot down accidentally by a French jet during a botched attempt by US, France and NATO to kill former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi while he was flying over Italy.

"I ask Macron to look into the matter. If he shows that the allegation is unfounded, so much the better. If it is true, he should apologise," Amato, 85, told a news conference on Tuesday.

A French diplomatic source told Reuters that France had always cooperated with Italy on Ustica, particularly in the context of judicial investigations, and was "of course ready" to work again with Rome if asked.

Amato twice served as Italian PM. He said he raised the issue again because at his age: "You start to ask yourself if there is something useful still to be done, some unfinished business that can be resolved."

Amato said that it would be easy for Macron to respond as he belongs to a different generation of French politicians. Macron was two years old when the tragedy took place.

Amato said he had not spoken to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in recent days. Meloni said overthe weekend that Amato should show any new evidence he had to support his theory.

The former premier, a socialist politician who has also held various ministerial posts and led Italy's Constitutional Court, has conceded he has no new evidence or hard proof.

Francesco Cossiga, former Italian president, was prime minister when the plane was shot down and crashed into the sea killing all on board. He made similar accusations in 2008.

(With inputs from agencies)

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